Kikwete sends condolence to Ambassador Daraja's family
By ROSE ATHUMANI, 9th March 2010 @ 10:00, Total Comments: 0, Hits: 305
PRESIDENT Jakaya Kikwete has sent condolences to retired Ambassador Andrew Daraja and his family following the murder of his wife, Anna on Sunday.
A statement issued by the State House Directorate of Communication today said the president has been saddened by the murder of Mama Anna Daraja that occurred under mysterious circumstances.
"I have received with sorrow and sadness the news of the death of Mrs Anna Daraja. I personally knew her and she was a good person who loved everyone," the president said in the statement.
Meanwhile, police are holding one suspect in connection with the murder of the wife of former Tanzania's envoy to the United States, Ambassador Daraja. Kinondoni Regional Police Commander (RPC) Mr Elias Kalinga named the suspect as Majiga Masanga (27).
Ambassador Daraja arrived home from Muheza, Tanga, on Sunday afternoon only to find out that his wife, Anna Daraja (65) was stabbed to death and locked up in the garage.
The houseboy, James Mabakuli (22), the only other person in the home with the deceased has since been on the run and police are still hunting for him. RPC Kalinga said Masanga was being held because he was the one who brought Mabakuli to Daraja's family to work as a houseboy.
"The suspect is the one who introduced Mabakuli to the Ambassador and was hired as houseboy," RPC Kalinga said.
Masanga, according to the RPC, runs a shop in Kimara B area. Reports from family members who refused to be named said, Masanga had once worked as a houseboy at Ambassador Daraja's home before he left and brought in Mabakuli.
RPC Kalinga said the postmortem on the body shows that the deceased was stabbed three times, twice in the stomach and the third on her left breast. The police said 2m/- were stolen but every other valuable item in the house was intact.
According to the family members, the deceased family is waiting for their son who is expected to arrive from the US any time from tomorrow. Burial service is expected to take place in Tanga later this week.
It was also established that the houseboy did not take any of his belongings when he fled the home. Ambassador Daraja last contacted his wife the day before (on Saturday) to inform her of his travel back to Dar es Salaam plans. When he called a few hours later, there was no response from her.
"I tried calling again later but the calls couldn't go through," he explained trying to control tears.
He further said that he arrived home, his driver hooted several times but there was no response from the house. It was at this time that the Ambassador asked the driver to climb over the fence and open the gate.
They found the deceased paraphernalia, including hand bag, shoes and her mobile phone bag strewn on the ground near the gate.
He rushed into the house looking for his wife. Just when he was about to give up the search around the house, something nudged him to look inside the garage…there she was laying on the garage floor with a knife stuck on her chest. Source:
http://www.dailynews.co.tz/home/?n=8056&cat=home