Tanzania police have exhumed 10 bodies, including two infants who were buried alive, in a gruesome case involving a 34-year-old witch doctor, Nkamba Kasubi. Kasubi was arrested in Makuro, Singida, alongside his two associates, Selemani Shabani Nyandalu, also known as Hango (24), and Saidi Haji Msangaa after three bodies were exhumed. The case took a chilling turn when authorities uncovered seven additional bodies on August 28, 2024, buried in Dodoma, a different region of the country.

The arrests followed the disappearance of Samwaja Sifael Said, who went missing on August 8, 2024. Residents of Makuro ward in Singida became suspicious of the trio’s involvement after Samwaja’s sudden disappearance. According to a witness, who was with Samwaja on the day he went missing, they had been together watching a football match between Tanzania’s popular teams, Simba and Yanga. After the match, Samwaja met the two suspects, who convinced him to join them for a drink.

“The police successfully arrested the two young men, and after interrogation, they admitted that it was true they went to drink alcohol with the young man. When they were returning home, they strangled and killed him, then cut off his private parts and buried his body in a pit,” reported police spokesperson David Misime on August 24, 2024.

Discovery of bodies

When questioned about their motives, the suspects revealed a disturbing detail: “A witch doctor had told them that if they could obtain human private parts, they would become rich,” Misime added.

On August 23, 2024, following the suspects’ confession, police exhumed Samwaja Said’s body from a pit at the witch doctor Nkamba Kasubi’s residence in Makuro. The incident sparked outrage in the community, leading residents to storm the area and attempt to burn it down.

“We saw his body as they were exhuming it. As leaders, we were involved, and we found that the body had been buried with the head upward. Before the body was fully exhumed, there was a bottle that we believe contained a concoction inside a large Konyagi bottle,” explained Jumanne Salum, the Makuro ward councilor.

“Once the bottle was removed, they then uncovered the head. We were shocked to see that the body was buried in a sitting position, facing south, opposite north. The legs were stretched out, the hands were stretched out, and the head was shaved,” Salum continued.

Speaking about the incident many residents say that signs against the witch doctor’s behaviors were seen from the onset but they were ignored, since his arrival in the village many people chose to stay away from him due to his odd behaviors.

“If only we had made a follow-up earlier, we wouldn’t have reached this point. It started with rumors that he was stealing footprints, and cattle were disappearing. People decided to shun him, and no one would pass around or near his compound not even students would go through,” said Dorcas Hongoa a resident of Makuro.

“This witch doctor was first arrested when they slaughtered someone’s cow, but the case vanished into thin air. The government said to let it go, and now people are disappearing,” argued Mkuki

He added: “With people disappearing will Tanzania have any people left? Does it mean that Tanzania can’t exist without these witch doctors? We are dying; the government needs to look into this.”

On August 26, 2024, Tanzanian police reported the exhumation of two more bodies buried near the home of the suspect, as residents, still reeling from the initial discoveries, gathered around the scene. The presence of the crowd prompted police to intervene and maintain order.

“With the great help and cooperation of the citizens, on August 24, 2024, two pits were discovered, and after being excavated, the body of Gideon Samweli Mnyawi, a 53-year-old resident of Makuro in the Singida region, was found,” Police Spokesperson David Misime said on August 26, 2024.

“He was last seen on a motorcycle with two individuals on October 15, 2023, and his disappearance was reported to the police. Another unidentified body was found, which requires further investigation by forensic experts and DNA testing. The remains included parts of the pelvis and the right and left thighs,” Misime added.

Police explained that the discovery of the remains was made possible after residents and police were shown the location by Asha Bakari a 51 years old resident of Migubu in the Singida region, who is the wife of Awadhi Ramadhani, popularly known as Wawa, aged 54. These two are in-laws to the arrested witch doctor and were reported by the resident as his first host in the area.

Earlier, on August 23, 2024, residents and relatives of Gideon Samweli Mnyawi had reported suspicions that Hawa Sumwa (54) and Idd Hussein Idd (25) were involved in the disappearance of their relative. They believed that the suspects had a motive related to a farm transaction; Gideon had sold a farm to them, which he subsequently sold to others. Following the discovery of Gideon’s body, police confirmed that the witch doctor had persuaded Hawa and Idd that killing Gideon would ensure they recovered their money.

With the discovery, police reported that they have now arrested seven people including Selemani Shabani Nyandalu (Hango), Saidi Haji Msangaa (Mangu), Nkamba Kasubi, Asha Bakari, Awadhi Ramadhani (Wawa), Hawa Mohamed Sumwa and Idd Hussein Idd. Police also reported that they were looking for Salum Awadhi who was also suspected to be involved in the murders.

More bodies in Dodoma

On August 28, 2024, police reported a new development with the arrest of an additional suspect, Miraji Shabani Nyandalu. Nyandalu was apprehended in the Misughaa area while attempting to flee. After being detained and questioned alongside the other suspects, the main suspect Nkamba Kasubi was able to lead the Police to his other residence in Porobanguma village in Chemba district Dodoma.

Police were able to discover seven other bodies including the 28-year-old Seni Jishabi from Porobanguma who disappeared on March 3, 2024; 27-year-old Mohamed Juma a resident of Nyamikumbi A Singida who disappeared on April 2024; 27-year-old Daudi Msanku a resident of Gawidu Manyara who disappeared on May 27, 2024, the culprit burned his body and stored his ashes in a bucket and a 26-year-old Ramadhan Yusuph a resident of Manyara who was killed in April 2024.

Others were Mwekwa Kasubi, a 4-month infant who was a child of the witch doctor, Mweka was killed on March 2023, and Maka Selemani Shabani Nyalandu a 2-month infant who was killed on June 2023, Maka was also a child of another suspect under police custody. Police report that the two infants were buried alive in a livestock pen at Kasubi residency.

The last body discovered is that of Ramadhani Bakari Kilesa, an 80-year-old resident of Porobanguma who was killed, and his body was dumped at Swangaswanga forest. His body was discovered on July 25, 2024, but it wasn’t linked to the suspect until August 27, 2024, when they confessed to his murder.

This new development comes as the country is grappling with news of kidnappings and disappearances across the country.  On August 21, 2024, residents of Lamadi stormed the police station in a protest against child kidnapping that saw one person being shot dead and 108 arrested.

Most people are linking the incidents of abduction and kidnapping to the upcoming election, linking them with witch doctors who are used by politicians for good fortunes in the election,

On the other hand, Several stakeholders have also linked a series of abductions to state authorities, this includes the recent high-profile cases such as that of activist Deusdedith Soka, Edgar Mwakalebela, and 24-year-old, Shadrack Chaula.

On July 20, 2024, while speaking to cultural and traditional leaders, President Samia Suluhu called for community participation in ensuring the incidents of kidnappings are stopped. She called for the community to debunk the myth that the incidents are related to the upcoming election.

“When you question these incidents [of kidnapping] people say it’s because of the election, people want to be elected. Go and tell the politicians, if the assertion is true, you are the traditional leaders you know these things, tell the politicians that they cannot get political positions that way,” said President Samia.