sacp faustine mafwele

Faustine Jackson Mafwele is a 47-year-old Tanzanian police officer of Mkerewe ethnicity and Christian faith, residing in Mikocheni, Dar es Salaam.

He holds the rank of Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) and serves as the Zonal Crimes Officer (ZCO) in the Dar es Salaam Special Zone of the Tanzanian Police Force.

Mafwele is a senior officer responsible for zonal crime operations in Dar es Salaam.

However, he has been widely accused of leading a criminal gang within the police force involved in severe human rights abuses. These include:

• Abductions and enforced disappearances: Multiple victims, including Tanzanian activist Edger Edson Mwakabela (known as "Sativa"), claim Mafwele ordered their kidnappings and transfers to remote areas like Arusha and Katavi for torture or execution attempts.

• Torture and extrajudicial killings: Over 90% of complaints from families of disappeared or murdered individuals in Tanzania point to Mafwele as the orchestrator. He is feared even by superiors in the police hierarchy, from Dar es Salaam to headquarters in Dodoma.

• Cross-border operations: Mafwele is implicated in the abduction and torture of foreign activists, such as Kenyan activist Boniface Mwangi (detained in 2024 over alleged involvement in anti-Finance Bill protests) and Ugandan journalist Agather Atuhaire (subjected to sexual assault and abuse). These acts are described as part of a state-enabled network of brutality spanning East Africa.

Victims and whistleblowers, including former Ubungo Mayor Boniface Jacob, have publicly exposed Mafwele on platforms like X (formerly Twitter), labeling him a "killing machine" and demanding accountability. Recent incidents (as of October 27, 2025) involve his alleged orders for the abduction of businessman "Niffer" in broad daylight, held at Oysterbay Police Station's "Garage" facility pending his "judgment.

"Public Perception and Ongoing ScrutinyMafwele is a polarizing figure, portrayed by critics as a symbol of state repression against dissidents, activists, and ordinary citizens under President Samia Suluhu Hassan's administration.

Tanzanian opposition groups like CHADEMA and human rights advocates have called for his removal, viewing him as emblematic of unchecked police brutality.

No official response from Tanzanian authorities or Mafwele himself has been reported, and investigations remain pending.