Police launches manhunt for people accused of exhuming body
POLICE in Katavi Region have mounted manhunt for unknown people accused of exhuming the body of Reuben Kasala (75) before making away with his private parts.
Katavi Regional Police Commander (RPC) Mr Ally Makame associated the incident with superstitious beliefs.
RPC confirmed the incident, saying the late Kasala died on early morning of March 18th, this year. He was buried at his ancestral village of Kasokola at Kasokola Ward here on the same day at around 5:30 pm.
However, the body was exhumed at night and police were called at the scene of the incident. It was later discovered that the private parts of the body were missing.
“When our officers opened the coffin, they leant that the private parts of the late Mzee Kasala had been chopped off by unknown people,” added the RPC.
According to RPC, the body of Mzee Kasala underwent autopsy and officers allowed relatives to rebury it.
He went ahead to urge citizens in the region to shun from embracing superstitious beliefs, saying it was an inhumane act and barbaric to exhume the body of the deceased person and chop off private parts.
“Any individual who will be implicated will face the full wrath of the law,” explained Mr Makame.
On his part Frank Kasala, who is the son of the late Mzee Kasala told this newspaper that his father had been battling diabete for quite sometimes until he lost the battle.
“Our traditions require us, the family of late Mzee Kasala to return to the burial place in the following morning. It was at that moment when we leant that the grave of our father had been dug out and the coffin pulled out before being vandalized,” he narrated.
An eye witness who introduced himself by a single name of Hamis said when he arrived at the burial place with others they found that the grave was dug “Even one of the legs of the deceased could be seen from where we were standing as the coffin was broken,” added Hamis.
Kasokola Village local government Chairman, Mr Carlos Joachim said the incident sent shock waves to the people at the village and beyond.
