Police Launch Manhunt After Herbalist’s Body Is Stolen from Grave in Machinga

Police in Machinga have launched a manhunt for unknown people suspected to have tampered with a graveyard and exhumed a body of a herbalist who was killed a week ago.

According to Eastern Region Police publicist Patrick Mussa, the incident happened on September 18, 2023, at Maliyana village in the area of Traditional Authority Sale in the district.

He said: “On September 10, 2023, a Mozambican herbalist, Armando Sammussone aged 33, was stabbed to death by a fellow herbalist Daud Afia (adult) who is still at large and his remains were buried in the same village as relatives to the deceased could not be traced.

“Surprisingly, unknown people on September 18, 2023, invaded the graveyard, tampered with the tomb before exhuming the corpse and later moving it to approximately 50 meters away from the actual burial place.”

Mussa added that an analysis of the corpse was made by a medical practitioner, accompanied by police detectives, who found that all the external body parts were intact, and the body has since been reburied.

An investigation into the matter has been instituted to establish the motive and consequently arrest those involved.