Mbeya. Police in Mbeya Region, through a special anti-crime unit, have rescued a five-year-old boy, Razaki Mwakatundu, after he was found alive but abandoned in Kitulo Forest Reserve.
The child, a pre-primary pupil at Mwakimome Primary School, was allegedly abducted on Monday, June 1, 2026, in Katumba Songwe Ward, Kyela District, Mbeya Region.
It is reported that the child was playing with other children outside his home when his biological father allegedly took him away to an unknown destination.
Mbeya Regional Police Commander Benjamin Kuzaga confirmed that the child was found on Monday, June 15, 2026.
“The child was reported to have been abducted by a person believed to be his biological father while playing with other children before being taken to an unknown location,” said Mr Kuzaga.
He said preliminary investigations indicate that the incident was linked to a family dispute in which the suspect allegedly demanded a refund of Sh500,000 paid as bride price after the child’s mother refused to marry him.
“The act stemmed from dissatisfaction with the mother’s decision, which led the suspect to commit this unlawful act,” he said.
Mr Kuzaga said that following a search operation launched after the report was filed, the child was found alive but abandoned in Kitulo Forest Reserve on the border of Mbeya and Njombe regions.
He said efforts to arrest the suspect are ongoing after he fled upon realising that police were pursuing him.
“We will ensure the suspect is arrested and brought before the court to face legal action,” he said.
He also urged parents and guardians to avoid taking the law into their own hands through child abduction in family disputes, warning that such acts endanger children and create panic in society.
In a separate incident, police in Mbeya Region are holding Mr Idd Hussein, a resident of Kimara in Dar es Salaam, for allegedly trafficking 30 kilogrammes of cannabis.
Mr Kuzaga said the suspect was arrested on Sunday, June 14, 2026, at about 7:30 pm at Mafiga Police Checkpoint in Kusare Ward, Unyakyusa Division, Kyela District.
He said the cannabis was packed into 13 bundles and concealed in a large plastic bag and a backpack.
“Preliminary investigations show the suspect is a trafficker and seller of narcotics, and he will be taken to court at any time,” he said.
A resident of Kasumulu in Kyela District, Ms Jane Amos, praised the police for the seizure and called for intensified efforts to curb drug trafficking to protect young people from drug abuse.
