9-months pregnant teen’s body found drowned in neighbour’s well

By Auther Chimbgwa

An 18-year-old Harare woman’s body was discovered drowned and in an advanced state of decomposition, some four days after she had gone missing from her Epworth home.

Police are now searching for clues as to what could have happened to a 9-months pregnant Nokutenda Gotora, whose body was found submerged in one William Nyanga’s well in the poor township’s Overspill area.

Police spokesperson for Harare Province Inspector Luckmore Chakanza confirmed the sad incident.

“The Zimbabwe Republic Police would like to confirm the death of Nokutenda Gotora (18) in a suspected drowning incident whose body was found submerged in one William Nyanga’s well while he was trying to fetch water,” said Inspector Chakanza in a statement.

“The deceased was married to Tinotenda Muraoka, aged 26, whose precise whereabouts have not yet been ascertained, as he could not be located from the time the report was received by the police.

“The deceased was reportedly about nine months pregnant at the time of her disappearance.”

Circumstances are that on the 22 May 2026, at around 2pm, Muranoka left his wife at home to Harare’s Granite Side Industrial Area, where he is employed as a security guard.

He returned home at 8 on the following morning to find that his wife was not at home.

Concerned, he rang Gotora’s aunt and informed her that Gotora was missing from home.

The aunt advised him to continue take more time inquiring about her whereabouts.

On 24 May, Muranoka visited the aunt to formally notify her of the continued disappearance of Gotora.

The aunt then reported the incident at Epworth Police Station on 25 May 2026 in the evening.

Gotora’s body was discovered by Nyanga on 26 May at around 11 in the morning after he had gone to fetch some water from the well.

Nyanga had tried to lower his tin into the water as always but felt an obeject obstructing the free movement of the container.

“This prompted him to illuminate the well with a torch to search for the hindrance,” Chakanza said.

“He then lowered a water bucket and felt a solid object within the well.

“A more powerful light source was subsequently employed, revealing the body of Gotora submerged in Nyanga’s well.”

Nyanga then made a report to the police.

The scene was attended by members of Epworth Police Station, the Police Sub Aqua Unit, CID Homicide Harare and CID Studios.

Gotora’s body was later retrieved from the water and conveyed to Chitungwiza Hospital mortuary for post-mortem.

The well is approximately 25 meters deep.

At the scene, police observed that the distance between the residence of Gotora and the well, being Nyanga’s house, is approximately 70 meters long.