Ritual killings shock Sumbawanga

Sumbawanga. Parents of two children who died in mysterious circumstances have called on the government to investigate the causes of their deaths and bring suspects to book.

The parents were speaking at their home at Kizwite in Sumbawanga on Monday.

Mr Kipara Mwambage, whose children, disappeared before two of them were found dead in an unfinished building, urged authorities to thoroughly investigate the matter.

The children disappeared on Thursday after breakfast. He reported the incident to a police station and later continued on looking for them.

According to him, yesterday one of the children surfaced.

"Yesterday, a girl who was going to fetch water in a river saw the child and informed us. The child led us to a defective car, saying they were in that vehicle. Nobody was inside.”

However, in a nearby unfinished building, they found the two dead children.

Ms Nestoria Ngelesha, the aunt of the two dead children, suspects witch doctors are involved in the killings.

Rukwa Regional Commissioner Joachim Wangabo has directed that traditional healers be investigated and those who misuse their permits should be deregistered.

Meanwhile, the third child is being treated at Rukwa Referral Hospital.

The hospital’s paediatrician Limi Matondo said: “Yesterday, the child was in a bad condition and is still being treated.”