The Songwe Regional Police Force says it is searching for individuals involved in a violent incident in which two suspects were freed from police custody, leaving one person dead.

The incident occurred on November 5, 2026, at around 6:00 a.m. in Msungwe Hamlet, Kapele Ward, Momba District.

In a statement, police said officers had earlier arrived in the area to arrest suspects allegedly involved in an assault that occurred on November 4, 2026. During the incident, two young men were attacked and sustained injuries to various parts of their bodies while working on a farm.

“Upon arriving at the scene, the officers managed to arrest two suspects and began heading towards where they had parked their vehicle. However, as they approached the area, they heard shouting and were surrounded by a group believed to be cattle herders, who began attacking them using various traditional weapons,” the police statement said.

It added: “In response, the officers were forced to defend themselves by firing tear gas canisters and bullets into the air, successfully dispersing the group. During the chaos, the arrested suspects managed to escape alongside the group while still wearing handcuffs.”

Police said one person was found injured following the violence, which was allegedly instigated by the group to free the suspects. The victim was rushed to hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival.