Tanzanian police have confirmed the killing of a film director whose body was discovered buried inside his own home in the Chanika area of Dar es Salaam, and have identified a key suspect, authorities said.
The victim, identified as Othman Nyanza, a film director known within Tanzania’s entertainment industry, had been reported missing on March 10 before his body was exhumed on March 16 from beneath the veranda of his residence.
According to witnesses, the body was found bound with a rope and concealed in a shallow grave within the compound, confirming fears raised by relatives and associates who had been searching for him.
In an official police report issued on March 20, Officer Murillo confirmed the incident and named Rehema Maulidi, 42, a resident of Kigamboni, as a primary suspect. Police said another individual is also under investigation, but has not been publicly identified.
Authorities had earlier been searching for a woman described by family members as the victim’s partner, who was suspected of involvement in the killing and had fled after being released on bail. She was later arrested in the Morogoro region and transferred to Chanika Police Station, according to local reports and individuals close to the investigation.
Police said investigations are ongoing to establish the motive and identify all those involved.
The case has drawn attention due to allegations of attempted property fraud linked to the victim’s disappearance. Family members say documents surfaced claiming the victim had sold his house prior to his disappearance, but the contracts were allegedly forged, showing inconsistent values and lacking legal authentication.
A relative of the victim, Simba Nyanza, told the press that the suspected motive appeared to be linked to the property.
“It appears the woman wanted to sell the house. When we followed up, we found forged documents, and even when confronted, she admitted the title was fake,” he said.
Witnesses also reported unusual activity at the residence in the days following the disappearance, including the digging of a pit later found to contain the body.
Madebe Lidai, a friend of the deceased, described the moment he first became suspicious:
“I saw a pit dug at the veranda. When I asked, I was told it was for cleaning waste, but something did not feel right,” he said.
Neighbours said the excavation, carried out in the evening, raised concerns, but its purpose was unclear at the time.
“We saw them digging, but we didn’t know why. It went on until it got dark,” said a neighbour who declined to be named.
A local government official suggested the killing may not have occurred at the residence.
“He was likely killed elsewhere and then brought here for burial,” said Rajabu AbdiSwalehe, a local government leader, though this has not been independently verified by police.
Further accounts indicate that household items were removed and sold in the days after the man went missing, reinforcing suspicions of premeditation and intent to unlawfully seize the victim’s property.
Unconfirmed reports from witnesses also pointed to the presence of traditional ritual items inside the home, though investigators have not publicly linked these claims to the motive.
The victim’s body is expected to properly be buried in Kisarawe district after completion of a post-mortem examination.
Police said the investigation remains active as they work to establish the full circumstances surrounding the killing and identify any additional suspects.
