15-year-old boy arrested over brutal killing of aunt

Rombo. Police have detained a 15-year-old boy (name withheld) from Ngareni Village in Ngoyoni Ward, Rombo District, Kilimanjaro Region, on suspicion of murdering his uncle’s wife with a stone that ripped open her brain.

On April 24 of this year, the boy allegedly asked Taudensia Massawe (62), his aunt, to show him where he could cut grass for livestock in the bushy area.

He then allegedly attacked her and beat her with a stone, splitting her head open and causing her death.

The young man is suspected of killing his aunt, a cashier for one of the Vicoba groups, in order to get money.

After the murder, the young assailant is said to have taken the keys that his aunt had tied to one of her hands, entered the home where she was residing, and stole many items, including a box to store various group documents.

After departing with the box, he allegedly split it open and found only Sh5,000, then took the box and buried it with cow dung in the victim’s farm, but was forced to show it when asked for details.

The Rombo District Commissioner, Col Hamis Maiga, who doubles as the chairman of the Defence and Security Committee in the district, confirmed the occurrence of the incident and said that the police in the district are already holding him.

“It is true that the incident has occurred, and we are already holding the suspect for further questioning,” said Col Maiga.

Narrating the incident, the councillor of Ngoyoni ward, Mr Felician Kavishe said: “She was killed on Sunday after being duped by her brother-in-law’s son, whom she had entrusted to mow grass, but this child had other plans,” he said.

“On Monday, however, the mother was nowhere to be discovered, prompting the young man who had taken her out of the house to explain why she hadn’t been seen before. Later, this young man asked us to accompany him so he could show us the area where he was mowing grass since, at the time, her family had called each other to discuss her absence. He murdered the woman when he arrived at the location where he was cutting the grass.”

The chairperson of Ngareni Village, Ms Venansia Mrema, said in the box that the young man stole, only Sh5000 was found, despite the boy admitting that he killed the woman who had a lot of money.

“After he showed us the box, it contained Sh5000, that is, we are really hurt and it is a brutal incident, which means he has committed a brutal act, considering he is very young.”

“We went to see that woman, whom we found dead while on her knees with her face down, this incident has deeply hurt us because you cannot imagine if that young boy could commit such a crime,” said Ms Mrema.