Mpanda District: 12 nabbed over bus robbery

Written by PETI SIYAME in Sumbawanga 

POLICE in Mpanda District, Katavi Region have arrested 12 people for allegedly ambushing a bus in Msanginya Forest at Magamba Village in Mlele district and made away with valuables and money whose value is yet to be established.

The bus was heading for Mpanda from Sumbawanga. The Katavi Acting Regional Police Commander (RPC), Mr Joseph Myovela, named the arrested suspects as Elias Zakaria (45), from Katumba Refugee Camp; Mbuya Michael (25), Moses Liberatus (24), both from Kawajense Street in Mpanda town; Jackson Lucas (27), a resident of Katisunga Village in Mlele district;

Mussa Nassor (17) and Ramadhani Hassan (17), both from Majengo area in Mpanda district. Others are Abdallah Hassani (19), Joseph Masesa (22), Sayo Masunga (18), Christopher Kwebe (20), Elias George (24), all from Majengo area in Mpanda Town and Shaban Loxagune (22), from Katumba Refugee Camp in Mlele district in the region.

According to the RPC, the robbery occurred shortly after midnight on October 17, involving a Sumry bus with registration number T902AZT, Nissan Diesel, driven by Khalid Makamba. The RPC further explained that when the bus arrived at the scene, about 15km from Mpanda township, it stopped as the road was blocked with stones and logs.

The suspects were said to have been armed with crude, traditional weapons including round metal bars, machetes and stones. They allegedly emerged from the darkness when the bus stopped and forced the passengers to disembark. The Acting RPC said that the passengers were also forced to lie down and surrender all valuables in their possession.

According to Mr Myovela, the suspected bandits conducted a thorough body and luggage search before walking away with valuables and an unspecified amount of money. Mr Myovela hinted that the suspects will be arraigned once investigations were complete.

Source: Daily News (25/10/2012): http://www.dailynews.co.tz/index.php/local-news/10829-12-nabbed-over-bus-robbery