TZW
It was at around 11pm on Tuesday when armed assailants gunned down Mwadui Ward Executive Officer (WEO) Benedicto Chapewa, who was drinking at his own bar, before mutilating his body with machetes.
The ward is located along Lake Rukwa in Sumbawanga District in Rukwa region. Rukwa Regional Police Commander (RPC), George Kyando spoke to the ‘Daily News’, confirming the horrific and tragic incident that has brought fear to residents in the ward.
According to the regional police boss, Rukwa Regional Crime Officer (RCO) who was only identified as Mr N. Kitinkwi and his team were working round the clock searching for the killers, who were, until yesterday evening, at large.
The RPC who admitted having scanty details on the incident said: “As I speak to you now, the RCO and team are there investigating this crime against humanity. I will provide you with details when he returns from the scene.”
However, the regional police commissioner gave some details on the heinous crime, saying on the material day before Mr Chapewa was brutally killed, he was drinking with his friends at his own bar when armed individuals emerged, gunning him down.
He said the assailants who also had machetes decapitated Mr Chapewa’s body before they vanished under the cover of darkness. Questions still lingered in the minds of the police and the general public in the area and in the region at large, considering the fact that the assailants did not harm or rob other patrons nor did they steal money from the counter of the bar.
“However, it is not established so far if the suspects were either gangsters or robbers because after storming the bar they went straight to Chapewa and shot him with a single bullet and later sliced him into pieces with machetes before the horrified patrons who were threatened with dire consequences if they attempted to run or raise the alarm.