Police intensify inquiry into Lissu aide abduction claims

He later resurfaced with handcuffs and injuries and was taken to Oysterbay Police Station for assistance in removing the restraints. The handcuffs were later removed at Oysterbay Police Station.

He was still at the station at around 4pm yesterday giving a statement.

Chadema Deputy Secretary General (Mainland), Amani Golugwa, told journalists at the party’s headquarters in Mikocheni that the incident occurred when Djumbe and his friend, identified as Allan Macha, were intercepted while travelling in a Toyota Probox.

Golugwa said the vehicle was surrounded by a group of six individuals, some wearing police uniforms and others in civilian clothes.

“They claimed to be police officers, but what they did amounted to an illegal operation. They took Djumbe and drove off towards Mbweni,” he said.

He said that party offices were later visited by police officers seeking information about Djumbe’s whereabouts, causing a delay in a scheduled press briefing.

According to Golugwa, police officers had been deployed around the party headquarters during the morning hours while questioning officials inside.

Djumbe’s companion, Macha, gave a detailed account of the incident, saying the encounter began after he was asked by Djumbe to pick him up following a vehicle breakdown.

“We were heading home when I noticed a vehicle following us at high speed, with two motorcycles behind it,” said Macha.

He said the group eventually forced their vehicle to stop before introducing themselves as police officers and ordering them to lie down.

“They said we were under arrest, but when Djumbe asked why, they separated us and started taking him away.

That’s when I started shouting that they were abducting him,” he said.

Macha said members of the public, including bodaboda riders, intervened and began pursuing the vehicles as they fled with Djumbe.

He said that the pursuit continued through Mbweni towards Bunju, where the suspects allegedly fired shots in the air.

“At some point they told each other they should not take him to the police station but to a different place. That raised serious concerns for us,” he said.

He said the chase ended near a wooded area in Mbweni, where the group abandoned the vehicle and fled after being cornered by pursuing riders.

“Once they stopped, they got out and started firing shots. People scattered. That is when Djumbe managed to escape into the forest,” he said.

Djumbe later released a video statement describing how he survived the ordeal, saying he was beaten and threatened during the incident.

“They were hitting me on the head with the butt of a gun, telling me it was my last day. I was handcuffed and could not defend myself,” he said.

He said he managed to escape after the vehicle stopped and the assailants got out.

“I jumped into the back seat, unlocked the cuffs and ran into the bush while they were distracted. They continued shooting into the forest,” he said.

He added that he spent more than an hour crawling through rough terrain before reaching safety.

Police in Dar es Salaam later confirmed they were investigating the incident.

In a statement, Acting Dar es Salaam Special Zone Police Commander Faustine Mafwele said officers had received reports circulating on social media alleging that Djumbe had been abducted in Bunju.

He said police later located a Toyota Wish vehicle belonging to Macha, which Djumbe was reportedly travelling in before the incident.

“Investigations are ongoing to establish what happened and identify those responsible,” said Mafwele.

He added that police also received information that Djumbe had been found at Chadema offices in Mikocheni, where officers went but did not find him there at the time. Police said Djumbe had since been found and that investigations continue.