Woman dies naked at ‘prophet’s feet

HAZLA OMAR in Arusha.

ARUSHA-based woman, Lightness Daudi, died mysteriously at the feet of a self-proclaimed 'prophet of god,' in the populous Kwa-Mrombo area in the city.

The late Lightness, according to her younger sister, Juliana, was taken to prophet Rajab for prayers, but while the spiritualist was busy administering the miracle healing, Lightness collapsed and died at the clairvoyant's feet.

Police here have confirmed the incident, with Regional Police Commander (RPC), Charles Mkumbo, promising to issue a statement on the death, saying two people have already been arrested in connection with the incident.

The deceased's husband, Mr Shafii Mohammed, is reported to have accompanied his wife to the prophet's house for the prayers but ran away when things went wrong. He later asked the sister, Juliana to accompany him back to the scene to rescue the situation.

"We found my sister propped up on an armchair, naked, very silent and cold with the body covered with her own khangas, but the body featured bruises in hands and body. Apparently, the prophet had also shaved off the deceased's hair and eyebrows," said Juliana Daudi. Police have arrested the late Lightness' husband, Mohammed and the alleged prophet, pending investigations over the mysterious death.

The Medical Officer in-charge at the Regional Mount Meru Hospital, Dr Jackeline Uriwo, admitted to have received the body of the late Lightness, saying, "But, the people who brought the body tried to pretend that she was simply sick and needed treatment although we discovered that she was already dead," said Dr Uriwo.

Dr Francis Coster, the incharge at the Mortuary, said, “Her husband tried to convince us that the lady had simply fainted and that she had a habit of remaining unconscious for over six hours ... that she should not be placed in cold room, yet,” he said.

“We did as the husband wanted and kept the body on stretcher for eight hours but the lady did not regain consciousness, so we decided to refrigerate it,” explained Dr Coster, who is the director of Arusha Funeral Services.

He admitted that the lady was clean shaven, featured horrid bruises on her arms and hands and looked like she was tortured before dying. The uncle of the deceased, Mr Ally Kivuyo, said: “My in-law followed me at night, informing me that Lightness had died while at hospital but when reports came that she died in the hands of the ‘prophet,’ I contacted the police who came to arrest the culprits.”

The family said Lightness was not even sick, wondering how comes she ended up dying in the prophet house, naked.