The family of the late James Temba, a student at the Institute of Finance Management (IFM), has confirmed the identity of a body found floating in the Msimbazi River.
In an unsettling video circulating on social media, a man who discovered the body can be heard saying that a human being had been beheaded. The footage shows the body in the water from the neck downward, wearing black trousers.
In a statement released on May 3, 2026, Dar es Salaam police confirmed that the body was found floating in the Msimbazi River near the Kipawa area in Ilala at around 3:00 p.m. on April 30, 2026.
Speaking to the media at his home in Tabata Chang’ombe, Mr. Rogers Robert Temba, the father of the deceased, said his son did not return home on Wednesday, April 29, 2026. He noted that this was unusual, as James would normally attend college and return home the same day. The family grew concerned the following day when they were unable to reach him.
“That Thursday was the day we became suspicious after noticing the silence. His phone calls were not going through. We started looking for his friends and asked them, but their responses were the same: they were also trying to reach him, but his numbers were unavailable. The last time his phone rang was on Wednesday the 29th, just before 8 p.m.; after that, it could no longer be reached,” Rogers Temba told reporters.
He added: “On that same Thursday, a certain young woman called his mother. This girl worked at a stationery shop in Tabata Chang’ombe. She asked if James was there, and his mother told her he wasn’t. The girl then hung up without saying much more. After that, when we tried to follow up by calling that girl’s number, it was no longer being answered. So we proceeded to report the matter at the main police station in Tabata.”
Initial information shows that James Temba was pursuing Bachelor of Science in Economics and Finance (BEF) at the Institute of Finance Management (IFM), with student registration number IMC/BEF/2524885.
The family reported the missing incident at Tabata Police Station where they were told there was no information regarding their missing relative. However, they were informed that a beheaded body had been found and were advised to seek further information at Stakishari Police Station.
At Stakishari, they were told that the body had been taken to the police barracks in Kurasini. Since it was Friday night, they were advised to go there the following morning. On Saturday morning, they went to the Kurasini police barracks accompanied by several neighbors and relatives. They were granted access to the morgue at the hospital there.
“We went there and provided information. They agreed and took us to see the body, which had been beheaded. During the examination, I identified it as my son’s body. His mother was also present, and she recognized a mark on his hand and confirmed that it was our son,” Rogers Temba said.
“After confirming that it was indeed our child, we were given instructions on the procedures to follow in order to collect the body and proceed with burial. Yesterday, police officers from Ukonga, including investigators from Stakishari, came to our home and took our statements. We explained everything exactly as we have told you here,” he added.
James Temba was the youngest of three children. Many, including his fellow students, describe him as a soft-spoken individual who had never had any issues with anyone. The body is expected to be transported to Kilimanjaro for burial on April 6, 2026. In their statement, police confirmed that the investigation into the incident is ongoing.
