“They are going to kill me, please help,” pleaded Deogratius Tarimo as he struggled to avoid entering a vehicle where three men attempted to force him inside. “I don’t know them; they are going to kill me,” he continued as commotion continued as seen in a now-viral video.
The incident took place outside the Rovenpick Hotel in Kiluvya, Dar es Salaam. The three men attempting the abduction can be heard threatening to kill Tarimo and also claiming to be police officers when he refused to enter their minivan.
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Police spokesperson David Misime confirmed that an investigation into the incident has begun.
“The Police Force is investigating a video circulating on social media that shows individuals attempting to apprehend and forcibly place Mr. Deogratius Tarimo, a businessman and resident of Kibaha, Pwani Region, into a vehicle,” the police statement read.
The report continued: “He reported this incident at the Gogoni Police Station in Dar es Salaam on November 11, 2024. The Police want to assure the public that it will arrest those involved in attempting to force him into the vehicle, as seen in the footage.”
Tanzania has seen a rise in abduction cases in recent months. In some instances, police have been accused of orchestrating these incidents, allegations that police have consistently denied.
Police say the victim has informed them that he went to the hotel for a business meeting of which he has been in contact with the people he was meeting since October 25, 2024.
