The body of a Tanzanian national who was killed in Ukraine fighting with Russian forces returned to his home country on Friday.

Nemes Tarimo, 37, died three months ago after agreeing to sign up with the Russian mercenary group Wagner.

His body was received by his family at the main airport in Dar es Salaam with burial scheduled for Saturday in his home village in the southern highlands of country.

Mr Tarimo had been in Moscow as a business informatics master’s student at the Russian Technological University. But he was then imprisoned some time after January 2021 for what were described as drugs-related offences.

Last year, he was enticed with a deal: sign up with the Russian mercenary group Wagner and be pardoned or stay in prison.