Suspect held over conducting genital mutilation to 10 girls in Tanzania

Tanzanian police said on Sunday they had arrested a suspect in connection with conducting female genital mutilation to 10 girls in the country's northern region of Mara, reported Xinhua.

Daniel Shillah, the Mara regional police commander, said the arrested woman collaborated with parents of the 10 children to subject them to the genital cutting, a ritual that causes numerous health problems that can be fatal.

Shillah said the 50-year-old woman was arrested on Saturday at Sirari on the Tanzania-Kenya border.

"Police are still questioning her before she is arraigned in court," said Shillah, adding that the woman was also facing two other court cases in connection with her involvement in female genital mutilation in the past.

In April 2019, Tanzanian police saved a total of 24 girls from the female genital mutilation in northern Mara region's Serengeti district.

In 1998, the government of Tanzania criminalized female genital mutilation.