Tanzania - How Family Lost Three Children in Suspected Ritual Killings

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Police line. Crime scene tape.

By The Citizen Reporter

Njombe/Dar — Three of the ten children -- who are reported to have been brutally killed in suspected ritual killings in Njombe Region -- belong to a single family.

Regional authorities have confirmed that at least ten children have been killed in Njombe in a period of one month and that the killers were also chopping off the children's reproductive and respiratory organs in the killings that are linked to superstitious beliefs.

It has since been established that three of the killed children belong to the same family.

The children: Godliva Mwenda (11), Gasper Nziku (8) na Giliad Nziku (5) were reportedly kidnapped by unknown persons while playing outside their parents' house on January 20, 2019 before they were found dead, with missing body parts recently.

Godliva, Gasper and Giliad -- all children of Mr Danford Nziku -- were schooling at Ikando Primary School in standards four, one and kindergarten respectively.

Kidnapped

Speaking during the burial ceremony of the three children on Monday, January 28, 2019, the family spokesperson, Mr Charles Mlonganile, said the kids were kidnapped from their parents' home while they were playing in the evening on Sunday, January 20, 2019.

"A total of five children were playing there on that day but only three were picked. When the remaining two were asked about the whereabouts of their colleagues, they responded that they had been taken by a person identified by the name of Joel Nziku," he said.

The acting Regional Police Commander for Njombe, Mr Rashid Ngonyani said at the burial ceremony that they were holding Joel Nziku - who is a relative of the killed children's father and a resident of Makambako town - for questioning in connection with the brutal killings.

He said police started looking for the slain children as soon as they received reports of their missing.

"We started searching for them from various corners and relatives' homes until we got information that some children have been found dead. We collected the bodies and when the relatives came here, they identified the bodies to be for theirs missing children," he said.

Hunt the killers, punish then

Speaking during the burial ceremony of the departed children, the Deputy Minister for Home Affairs, Mr Hamad Masauni swore that the government will hunt all the killers and bring them to book.

"I feel sorry for these killings. I assure you, and all Tanzanians, that these killings will not go unnoticed. We will ensure that those to be proved guilty of these killings are brought to book and punished in a manner that sends a stern warning to their entire network," he said.

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