Tanzanian police have announced the arrest of four suspects linked to the gang rape of a girl, an assault that was filmed and widely shared online, sparking public outrage. The disturbing video has prompted strong reactions from rights groups, who have demanded swift justice for the perpetrators.
“We have arrested four people who planned and committed the violence,” police spokesman David Misime said in a statement. He added that the investigation is ongoing, with authorities still searching for two additional suspects who remain at large.
The police have located the victim, who is currently receiving support, including psychological counseling, at a secure location, Misime noted.
The incident gained widespread attention after Boniface Jacob, the former mayor of Ubungo, a district in Dar es Salaam, highlighted it on social media on August 4. In his post on X (formerly Twitter), Jacob tagged President Samia Suluhu Hassan and the national police force, urging them to take action. He suggested that the attackers might be members of the Tanzanian armed forces, though this has not been verified.
In addition to the arrests of the suspected rapists, several individuals have been detained for either spreading the video or posting false information about the incident. Among the misinformation was a claim that the victim and her mother had died.
Following the video’s emergence, the police called for public calm and urged people to be mindful of what they share online.
Earlier this week, the Msichana Initiative, a Tanzanian organisation advocating for girls’ rights, condemned the attack and called on the police to take decisive action.
This case is not the first of its kind in Tanzania. In 2019, several men were arrested in the northeastern part of the country following a series of gang rapes, as reported by local media.