A prominent Arusha Businessman, Mr Erasto Msuya, was killed in a hail of bullets fired by unknown assailants at the Kilimanjaro International Airport Road junction on Wednesday.
Eye witnesses report that Mr Msuya was travelling from Mirerani Hills heading towards Arusha Town but upon reaching the KIA junction, some unknown people stopped his car and sprayed live rounds of ammunition on his car, killing him instantly.
While the incident reportedly occurred at about 12.30pm, Wednesday afternoon, at the border of Arusha and Kilimanjaro regions, Arusha police while confirming the incident pointed out that the right person to issue official statement was the Kilimanjaro RPC because the murder took place under his jurisdiction.
Efforts to contact the Kilimanjaro Regional Police Commander(RPC), Mr Robert Boaz for comment proved futile as his phone went unanswered. Msuya, who was a Tanzanite Mineral Dealer and Miner, also used to operate the rather famous SG Resort Hotel and Gardens located along the main Arusha-Namanga road.
The businessman’s murder comes shortly after another Mirerani miner, Mr Willy Mushi, an employee of TanzaniteOne Limited was shot dead by fellow miners, but from different quarries about a fortnight ago. Meanwhile FATMA ABDU reports that police in Morogoro are holding four Ethiopians for allegedly entering the country illegally, Regional Police Chief, Mr Faustine Shilogile confirmed.
The suspects made their way into the country through Kenya and were destined for South Africa and Malawi. RPC Shilogile mentioned the suspects as Habitamu Fikre (22), Emanuel Lile (22), Talek Tamesge (21) and Tsedek Wallde (22). Commander Shilogile said that the Ethiopians were arrested at night when they were preparing to leave for South Africa and Malawi.
The RPC appealed to Morogoro resident to provide information to police in case they notice the presence of illegal immigrants in their areas as that would help to maintain peace and security in the country.
In another development, the Njombe Regional Police Commander (RPC), Furgence Ngonyani, confirmed the death of Sixtus Mbena (52) a resident of Ihalula Village, whose body was discovered in a forest with visible wounds. RPC Ngonyani said that the cause of the death was not known and the police were still investigating the incident.
By MARC NKWAME, Tanzania Daily News
