Tanzania: Man sells daughter for body parts in ritual killing

Published: May 12, 2019
By: AFP – Gulf news

Nairobi: A Tanzanian man has been arrested for selling his six-year-old daughter to be killed so that her body parts could be used in a potion to make him rich, police said Saturday.

A police statement said that the child, Rose Japhet, was killed last week and her body found in the southwestern district of Mbeya, in a region has been hit by a spate of ritual killings of children.

“The body was found decapitated and with the right foot amputated,” said the statement, adding the foot was found buried nearby.

“The motive of this murder was monetary. The father of the deceased took his daughter to a businessman for five million shillings ($2,000) for her to be killed and her right foot amputated.”

The businessman, who was also arrested, was meant to “give the foot to a healer so that he would make a product which would make him (the father) prosperous”, said the statement.

The businessman admitted his involvement and police are still hunting for the healer.

Mbeya is near the region of Njombe, where at least 10 children aged between two and 10 years old were found dead in January in what local media reported were ritual killings.

The United Nations condemned the killings at the time.

Such killings are not unusual in Tanzania, where albinos are often kidnapped and their body parts hacked off for use as charms and magical potions in the belief that they bring wealth and good luck.

Source: Man sells daughter for body parts in ritual killing

Tanzania – Mbeya Region

Tanzania arrests 65 witchdoctors in ritual killing probe

Published: March 4, 2019, 15:12
By: Aboubakar Famau – BBC Africa, Dar es Salaam

Police in Tanzania have arrested 65 witchdoctors doctors suspected of involvement in the barbaric ritualistic killings of children in the south-west and northern part of the country.

This follows the murder of at least 10 children in Njombe region and other similar incidents in the northern Simiyu region in late January.

Forty-five witchdoctors from Simiyu, and 20 others from Njombe are being held for interrogation over the spate of heinous killings, Inspector General of Police Simon Sirro told reporters. 

The police boss further said the crackdown on traditional doctors, who are the prime suspects in the ritualistic killings, was ongoing.

“I have ordered that every traditional doctor, both registered and unregistered, must be interrogated and inspected, and those who will be identified as criminals, then the law will take its course, but after that, we have also ordered the authorities to start fresh registration, but we have also requested other institutions like religious leaders and politicians to help us.”

Superstition is deep-rooted among some communities in Tanzania, who believe human body parts can bring wealth. 

Albinos are among those targeted by assailants who kill them or chop off their limbs and private parts.

Source: Tanzania arrests 65 witchdoctors in ritual killing probe

Njombe District – Tanzania

Tanzania: 10 prominent businessmen arrested for ritual killing of 14 children

Further to my previous reporting on a spate of ritual murders in Tanzania – see my posting dated February 4, 2019 – more news about these heinous crimes. The Tanzanian authorities have acted swiftly, and arrested a number of businessmen suspected of involvement in the ritual killing of innocent children. The rule of law must prevail which also implies a decent and impartial trial. (Webmaster FVDK).

10 prominent businessmen arrested for ritual killing of 14 children

Published: February 4, 2019
By: Tireni Adebayo – KemiFilani News

Justice must prevail.

The Speaker of the Tanzanian National Assembly, Job Ndugai, on Monday said that Tanzanian police have arrested 10 businessmen in connection with the recent killing of 10 children in the country. 

Ndugai said the men were arrested in Njombe and Makambako towns.

The Speaker announced the arrest as four more children were reportedly killed in Njombe region over the weekend, bringing to 14 the number of children killed in the region over superstitious beliefs.

Parents have stopped working to enable them to escort their children to and from school, he said.

Source: 10 prominent businessmen arrested for ritual killing of 14 children

Njombe District – Tanzania

Tanzania: Girl, 7, found dead as child killers spill more blood

Published: February 3, 2019
By: Godfrey Kahango @TheCitizenTz news@thecitizen.co.tz

Matembwe villagers in Njombe District prepare to lower the coffin carrying the body of Racheal Malekela in the grave during her burial yesterday. She was killed by unidentified people on Friday night. PHOTO | GODFREY KAHANGO 

Njombe. Another child, Rachael Malekela was found dead on Friday night at Matembwe Village in Njombe District as the spate of reported ‘ritual’ could killings and appearances continues to rock the area. More below.

Another example of ‘mob justice’ – another sign of a weak state and ‘rule of law’

Source: Girl, 7, found dead as child killers spill more blood

Related article:
4 killed over suspicion of ‘murdering’ 7 year old girl in Njombe

Published: February 2, 2019
By: Godfrey Kahango @TheCitizenTz gkahango@tz.nationmedia.com

Related article:
Njombe mother appeals for help to find missing son
Published: February 2, 2019
By: Godfrey Kahango @TheCitizenTz gkahango@tz.nationmedia.com

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Another related article:
Child killings in Njombe associated with witchcraft beliefs, says government
Published: January 30, 2019
By: Alex Malanga @ChiefMalanga amalanga@tz.nationmedia.com

Home affairs minister Mr Kangi Lugola 

Related:
UN condemns killing of children in Tanzania
Published: January 29, 2019
By: The Citizen Reporter @TheCitizenTz news@tz.nationmedia.com

UN Resident Coordinator in Tanzania Mr Alvaro Rodriguez
Freedom of fear is a human right. The rule of law an obligation of the state
(Webmaster FVDK)

Related:
Tanzania: How family lost three children in suspected ritual killings
Published: January 29, 2019
By: The Citizen Reporter @TheCitizenTZ news@tz.nationmedia.com

Njombe Region – Tanzania

Tanzania: 10 kidnapped children found dead with missing body parts

Published: January 28, 2019
By: Bukola Adebayo – CNN

Ten children kidnapped in Tanzania have been found dead with their body parts mutilated, authorities told CNN on Monday.

Tanzania’s deputy health minister Faustine Ndugulile said all 10 children had been missing since December in Njombe district, southwest Tanzania. Their bodies were discovered last week after police launched a search operation in the area.

“So far, we have found 10 bodies, and most of their private parts and teeth had been removed,” Ndugulile said. “These murders are linked to witchcraft practices because that is the trend for such crimes, where herbalists ask people to get these human parts for money rituals,” he added. The children, some as young as seven, were kidnapped from their homes last month.

Many children have been reported missing by their parents in the community since December, according to Ndugulile, who said the health ministry was also investigating the wave of killings. “We want to identify the perpetrators, but our focus is to educate the traditional practitioners in the area quickly and those in surrounding communities on the need to stop these acts,” Ndugulile told CNN.

The Deputy health minister told CNN that these killings are not linked albino ritual murders which are prevalent in Tanzania and other parts of east Africa. “These murders are not linked to albino killings,” he said. “But it is very sad because they are children and they don’t deserve to be used like this,” Ndugulile said.

Tanzania has one of the highest rates of albinism in the world, at one in 1,500 people. 

Despite its prevalence, there’s still a lack of education and tolerance and albinos are regularly killed for their bones and organs, which are sold to witch doctors for “charms and magical potions”, according to Amnesty International.

Source: 10 kidnapped children found dead in Tanzania with missing body parts, ministry says

Related articles:

10 Kidnapped Children Found Dead in Tanzania With Missing Body Parts, Officials Say
Published: January 29, 2019
By: Jack Phillips – The Epoch Times

Ritual killing: Bodies of 10 children found with missing limbs, teeth
Piublished: January 29, 2019
By: Standard – Kenya

EDITORIAL: Solve and deter Njombe kind of child murders
Published: January 29, 2019
By: The Citizen, Tanzania

Ten children in Tanzania kidnapped and killed for their body parts, authorities say
Published: January 30, 2019
By: Elizabeth Llorente, Fox News

Witchcraft horror: Tanzania children have genitals and tongues cut off in ritual killing
Published: January 30, 2019
By: Ciaran McGrath – Express

Njombe Region, Tanzania