Pemba. Police in North Pemba Region are holding seven people in connection with the murder of a 35-year-old man following an attack linked to an unverified belief that touching a person on the shoulder can cause the disappearance of male genital organs.
According to a public notice issued on Saturday, April 11, 2026, by the acting regional police chief, the deceased, a resident of Jojo village in Kinyikani Shehia, Wete District, Mr Hamad Othman Mwalimu, was killed on Friday, April 10, 2026.
The RPC said the killing occurred at around 7pm in Madenjani after the victim was assaulted by a group of people who accused him of causing harm to another man through physical contact.
Police said the attackers alleged that the victim had grabbed the shoulder of Mr Makame Abdalla Suleiman, after which he supposedly “lost his private parts”, a claim authorities have described as unsubstantiated and misleading.
“The suspects are being detained as investigations continue into the killing, which was driven by panic and misinformation,” the police chief said in a statement.
The incident has once again highlighted the persistence of harmful myths in parts of the country, where rumours have circulated that simple physical contact, particularly touching someone’s shoulder, can result in the disappearance of male genital organs.
Police have warned that such claims have no scientific basis and are fuelling unnecessary fear and violent reprisals.
Security authorities have urged the public to refrain from spreading false information that can trigger panic and mob justice.
They stressed that all criminal suspicions should be reported to the police for proper investigation rather than being handled through vigilante action.
Medical experts consistently reject the possibility of any physical mechanism through which genital organs can “disappear” as a result of touch or supernatural influence.
Human anatomy is fixed, and there is no biological process that allows external contact to remove or erase body parts.
Health specialists say such incidents are often linked to psychological and social factors, including mass anxiety and misinformation, which can rapidly spread within communities and lead to collective fear responses.
In some cases, similar episodes have been associated with what psychiatrists describe as Koro syndrome, where individuals experience extreme anxiety and false perceptions about their bodies.
Police in North Pemba have reiterated their appeal for calm and responsible communication, warning that those involved in spreading rumours or participating in mob violence will face legal action.
They also encouraged residents to use official channels, including police stations, to report suspected crimes instead of resorting to violence.
The force said investigations into the killing are ongoing and pledged to take appropriate legal measures against all those involved.
