Monday May 17, 2010
Local News
5 police officers behind bars over death of Dar es Salaam resident
By LUDOVICK KAZOKA, 17th May 2010 @ 12:00, Total Comments: 0, Hits: 54
FIVE policemen from Oyster Bay police station in Dar es Salaam are behind bars. They will remain in custody pending completion of preliminary investigation on circumstances that led to the death of one Octavian Kashita.
Dar es Salaam Special Zone Police Commander, DCP Suleiman Kova confirmed the arrest of his officers saying one of them opened fire when trying to put under arrest four alleged kidnappers near Victoria area in Kinondoni district in the city.
During a routine media briefing, the police commander who refused to disclose names of the police officers in custody said that six other individuals were in custody in connection with the incident.
Unveiling the entire episode, Commander Kova said yesterday evening at around 7pm, a lady identified as Sia Minja, 28, complained to the police at Oyster Bay station that her brother Bariki Minja was kidnapped by four unidentified male adults known to be related to the mother of his child. According to the police chief, there was a family dispute between Bariki and Martha Makishe who is the mother of Bariki's son identified as Kinsley Bariki.
"There is a civil case Number 31/2010 pending in Kinondoni court whereby Bariki Minja is accused of abandoning his own son and refused to provide monthly upkeep allowance for the baby," explained DCP Kova.
He said after informing the police about kidnap of her brother, five police officers accompanied her to the scene near Victoria. She showed them a Toyota Land Cruiser Prado type with registration number T 864 BHC, said the police chief, which was driven by the son of Celina Kombani, Minister of State, Prime Minister's Office, Regional Administration and Local Governments.
"In this vehicle Bariki was held by four men. The police ordered the kidnappers to surrender but they refused and remained defiant. One of the officers opened fire and killed Octavian Kashita," DCP Kova explained.
Asked why put the police officers in custody, commander Kova briefly said: "It was necessary to put them in custody as investigation continues."
The commander further confirmed that eleven people all together were in custody in connection with the incident. These include five policemen, four suspected kidnappers, the kidnapped Bariki and Sia Minja who informed the police about the kidnap.
From other sources it was learnt that the late Octavian Kashita was one of the minister's family assistants entrusted with the duty to take care of vehicles.