Five villagers have been arrested in connection with the Monday night torching of a police station in Kilimanjaro Region, Inspector General of Police Said Mwema said yesterday.

Mr Mwema was reacting to an incident in which a group of nearly 300 villagers invaded of Hedaru Police Station in an attempt to seize suspects and mete out "mob justice" to them.

Addressing a press conference in his office in Dar es Salaam, Mr Mwema said the force was concerned about an increase in cases of angry villagers invading and burning police posts and stations. He said there was need for public awareness on the role of police in fighting crime in society

"Take this latest incident, for instance. The people torched the police station due to beliefs connected with witchcraft after a child went missing, but she was later found. It is a huge loss caused by mere rumours," he said.

Such incidents, he said, also ended up demoralising law enforcement officers, especially those working in the rural areas.

He reiterated his earlier announcement that all police posts, which do not have enough manpower and facilities, would be closed.

On Monday night, the nearly 300 villagers stormed and set Hedaru Police Station in Same District on fire, destroying

files, and case exhibits and burning three private motor vehicles that had been parked there for safety.

The Kilimanjaro Regional Police Commander, Mr Lucas Ng'hoboko, confirmed yesterday the mob had gone to the police station with the intention of seizing and killing eight suspects, who are being held in connection with the alleged kidnap of a five-year-old child.

The villagers had accused the suspects of using witchcraft to lure and kill the child so they could boost their mining fortunes. But she was later found in Moshi municipality.

Mr Ng'hoboko said the villagers suspected that the nursery schoolgirl had been kidnapped and killed in the Shengema area in a mining related ritual.

He said police on duty managed to protect the suspects from the marauding villagers though they did not have any firearms, as the station does not have an armoury.

The RPC said that on May 28, the young girl did not return home from her nursery school at 11am, as she always did, and her parents and other relatives panicked and reported to Hedaru Police Station that she was missing.

A manhunt was launched and eight suspects arrested, but they were later released.

On May 31, rumours reached the police station that the child had been taken to the Shengema mining area for use in a witchcraft ritual to enable miners to easily spot the "precious stones".

It was alleged that eight suspects, including a woman, had kidnapped the little girl.

Mr Ng'hoboko said traditional militia, the sungusungu, then gathered and went to Shengema, where they picked up the eight suspects. They were then taken to the police station and locked up in the cells.

On learning of the arrests, some 300 villagers then plotted to raid the station in the evening and lynch the suspects.

The regional police boss said Field Force Unit personnel were still hunting for other suspects.

Same District Commissioner Ibrahim Marwa denounced the villagers' raid on police station, saying the law should be left to take its course.

Hardly a month ago, an eight-year-old child was kidnapped in Moshi, with the hostage takers demanding a $400 in ransom.

The child was later found in Uganda after his parents paid the $400 ransom, which is equivalent to Sh560, 000.

But in the Hedaru case, a good Samaritan found the child at Mbuyuni market in Moshi municipality on Friday and took her home.

Mr Ng'hoboko said the woman later told his officers that the child had complained of having lost contact with her father.

"The trader closed her stall in the evening, took the child home with her and reported the incident to the police the following day. She was allowed to stay with the girl until her parents could be traced."

However, while her parents in Hedaru said here name was Grace Kelvine, the child herself told police in Moshi that she was Grace Godfrey.

"Because the woman was not aware of the Hedaru incident she continued to stay with the child until Monday night, when she heard the story and took the child to the police," he said.

The Hedaru incident occurred only days after villagers in Mbalika ward, Misungwi District in Mwanza Region, also invaded a police post and killed three suspects who were being held over robbery allegations.

The villagers are said decided to take the law into their own hands to vent their frustration over increased cases of armed robberies in the Lake Region. They even accused wayward policemen of having a hand in the crime wave.

In another incident, 15 people were killed recently in Kizinga islet in Ukerewe district.

After suspects had been arrested and locked up at a police post, nearly 100 villagers, armed with arrows, bows, spears, pangas and stones, invaded the station at around 7pm, and took away the three suspects whom they stoned them to death.

The raiders had first attacked the unarmed policemen at the post before breaking the cell door and seizing the suspects.