By CHILA NAMAIKO –
A FUNERAL in Pemba District on Saturday turned more catastrophic after a trigger-happy man shot dead at point blank three people among them a baby at a funeral house.
Five others were critically injured by stray pellets during the shooting.
The gunman who is on the run went on rampage shooting the three at the funeral house in Chief Hamaundu’s area in Pemba after some youths accused a local elderly man of causing the death of a young man.
Among those shot dead was a man suspected to have bewitched a villager who died on Saturday.
Amon Mweene, 79, the suspected wizard of Mweene Village was shot in the head with a muzzleloader at the funeral house.
The other victim, Wendy Senanga, 45, of Nabuzoka Village from the same chiefdom, who was carrying a child on her back, was hit by stray pellets while serving food to the mourners.
Ms Senanga sustained wounds on her chin and left ribs. She died on the spot together with her child, Twaambo Sikwale, aged six months.
Five other mourners sustained multiple injuries from the stray pellets and are battling for their lives in Monze Mission Hospital.
Southern Province Assistant Police Chief Kashif Mphande, confirmed the incident which happened on Saturday around 20:00 hours.
He said the incident happened when scores of villagers had gathered to mourn a youth who was taken to Monze Mission Hospital on Saturday morning after an illness, but later died the same day.
Mr Mphande said the villagers were informed about the death of the young man from the hospital but some accused Mr Mweene of having bewitched him.
He said when the mourners had gathered for the funeral house, Mr Mweene also joined them, but some villagers accused him of being a witch in the village.
“When the mourners were gathered at the funeral house, an unknown man came and shot the old man (Mr Mweene), but he missed him.
“The stray gun-pellets caught a woman (Ms Senanga) with her child on her back when she was serving food to other mourners and the two died on the spot,” he said.
He said when the assailant realised he did not shoot Mr Mweene, he reloaded the gun and shot the old man in his head.
Some stray pellets, then, caught five other mourners who sustained multiple injuries and are admitted to Monze Mission Hospital.
As the fracas unfolded, some mourners scampered for safety, as one of the villagers, Corn Mweene, phoned officers at  Pemba Police Station who rushed to the scene.
Mr Mphande said the officers picked up the bodies.
He said no arrest has made been and that police have instituted investigations over the matter.