Four people have been taken into custody for allegedly mocking the death of former President John Magufuli. The four were arrested by Tanzanian police on a street with goat soup and traditional beer.

Urlich Matei, the regional police head in the Mbeya region, said, “The whole country is in mourning for our beloved president John Magufuli…but during this period we received a report that there were four people who were mocking this tragedy.” He said it was shocking that they had been acting in this manner while the country was mourning. Matei accused the four of wanting to cause chaos and ‘breach of peace’ in the region.

The BBC reports that all public activities in Tanzania are to be suspended during the 21 days that have been set out to mourn President John Magufuli.

Meanwhile, a woman and four children were reported to have died in a stampede when tens of thousands of people turned up at a stadium in Dar es Salaam to view the former president’s body. Some reports, however, put the death toll as high as 40.

According to the BBC, Magufuli’s body has since been taken to his hometown, Geita, for Tanzanians to be able tp pay their respects. His death was announced on March 17, and he is to be buried on Friday.

Umm Muhammed Umar