Harare school pupil drowns after plunge into deep trench in heavy rain
Minor's bruised body found in mud after flowing for hundreds of metres, police say
By Auther Chimbgwa
In a sad incident, a 9-year-old boy plunged into a trench as he walked from school Thursday before being carried for several metres by flowing water in heavy rainfall with his lifeless body later found in a muddy open space in Harare’s Mabelreign suburb.
Acting police spokesperson for Harare Province Assistant Inspector Faith Mapisa confirmed the incident that happened near an open space opposite DA service station along Kirkman road.
Mapisa identified the Warren Park Primary School Grade 4 pupil as Kudakwashe Madziturira, who lives in Maranatha.
The trench, said the police spokesperson, is about 1.2 meters deep.
“The now deceased left home on 13 November at around 6am together with his siblings Sherel Mayambire and Ngonidzashe Madziturira – all pupils at Warren Park 3 primary school,” Mapisa said.
“It was established that he finished school at around 2pm and left for home by foot as it is suspected that he could have used the transport money.
“By the time he approached Kirkman road, it was heavily raining and he inadvertently stepped into a trench, which is about 1,2m deep, and drowned.”
The trench was full of water and the juvenile’s body was carried away by flowing water for about 200 meters before being deposited into an open space across Kirkman road.
Officers at Mabelreign police station found the body lying in a muddy open space facing south western side.
The now deceased minor was wearing a khaki uniform, brown jersey and brown shoes.
He had a black satchel with books on the back together with an army green raincoat.
His body had bruises on the face and was conveyed to Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals for postmortem.
Police said they were carrying out investigations into the incident.
