Villagers Puzzled As Empty Coffin Is Found In Neighbours' Home: “Had A Permit”

• An empty coffin was found hidden on the land of a 55-year-old alleged witch doctor, Kumalija Budeba, in Tanzania
• Budeba claimed the coffin belonged to a musician he had hired to mentor his son, who abandoned it when he left for Mwanza
• The witch doctor was arrested by police officers following a tip-off from youth herding livestock near his farm

An empty coffin has been found hidden at a farm in Mwime Makungu Street, Kahama Municipality, Shinyanga region of Tanzania.

The coffin was found at 55-year-old Kumalija Budeba’s land, a man alleged to be a witch doctor causing panic among residents of the area.

While confirming the incident, in an interview aired on YouTube by Mwananchi Digital, the acting Commander of the Shinyanga Regional Police Force, Kennedy Mgani, said the operation was successful following a tip-off from youth in the area.

“We got a tip-off from good citizens herding livestock in the area. The elderly man sent them away anytime they approached the scene where the coffin was hidden. Curious to know why Budeba did not want them near the area, they checked it only to find the casket,” he said.

Police confirm coffin at Budeba’s farm

The police headed to the location where they questioned the witch doctor over the coffin ownership.

“We visited the area at around 10am in the morning and found the coffin at the scene. However, the farm’s owner denied knowing who owned the coffin at first, but after thorough questioning, he admitted that it belonged to a musician,” stated the police boss.

When asked if he had a permit to keep it, he said he had not informed the local authorities because he had one from the cultural office.

“The police asked him to provide the permit, but he did not have it. So, we moved him to the station for further questioning,” the officer said.

Mgani said the incident is bizarre as there are rising cases of abductions and kidnapping.

Budeba defends himself

The alleged witchdoctor distanced himself from the coffin, claiming the musician he hired to mentor his son slept inside it every time before a show

“I called the musician to do a show with my son. I was paying him good money, but I was not profiting, so he returned to Mwanza and dumped the coffin at my farm.

"He did not tell us what to do with it; he used to sleep inside it before performing,” he explained.

The controversial man questioned why the musician had not been arrested despite moving to several locations with it while he performed, only for him to be apprehended.

Officers found the coffin empty, and it has since been stored at the Kahama Police Station.

Further, Budeba is currently held in custody as an investigation into the legitimacy of the coffin is ongoing.

Witchdoctor flees with client’s KSh 630K

In a separate incident reported by TUKO.co.ke, police are looking for a witch doctor who fled after allegedly defrauding a client of KSh 630,000 in a money-multiplication scam.

The victim, Tasfex Kayuno, said he was convinced by Omar Jefeero to pay the sum in three instalments with a promise to multiply the money.

Police who visited the witch doctor’s shrine found a male dead goad, chicken and a shallow grave with a decomposing goat inside.

Proofreading by Mercy Nyambura Guthua, journalist and copy editor at TUKO.co.ke