DAR ES SALAAM, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- At least four villagers from same family have been killed and their houses demolished by fellow angry villagers in western Tanzania after they had suspected the victims of their involvement in witchcraft, an official said on Saturday.
Evans Buchonko, a councillor for Msambara ward in Kasulu district in Kigoma region, said the victims included a pregnant woman.
Buchonko said a group of angry villagers raided houses of the victims at on Friday afternoon and slashed them with machetes after they were suspected of involvement in witchcraft practices.
"The villagers also destroyed the victims' belongings before they demolished their houses and farms," said Buchonko, appealing to the government to arrest the culprits and prosecute them.
He said after the grisly incident ward authorities reported the matter to the police who rushed to the scene and found the four bodies in pools of blood.
The official said the killers dragged the victims outside their houses before they killed them.
Simon Anange, Kasulu district commissioner, appealed for calmness, saying security organs have launched investigations into the killings.
Anange urged to stop killing people suspected to have been involved in witchcraft.
