7 die in separate incidents around New Year’s Day

Seven people died in separate incidents around the country on New Year day’s eve, and on the actual day, including murder, drowning and freak accidents, police said on Tuesday.

In Harare, police investigations are underway to establish circumstances
surrounding the death of two women whose bodied were picked up in the early hours of New Year’s day outside Kasi Kasi Bar in Tafara, national police spokesman, assistant commissioner, Paul Nyathi said in a statement.

He said police initially went to the area to restore order after receiving reports that the road leading to Kamunhu Shopping Centre and Tafara suburb was completely blocked by a crowd, and haphazardly parked vehicles, but had difficulties to achieve the mission because of poor lighting.

Around 3 am, police details were alerted to a rowdy crowd, and three women lying prostrate within the vicinity of Kasi Kasi Bar and main road linking Mabvuku and Tafara.

The women were rushed to Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals where two of them were pronounced dead.

Nyathi warned the public and the media against rushing to conclusions and allow the police to establish the circumstances in which the women died as investigations, including post mortem, are underway.

“The Zimbabwe Republic Police condemns the unruly behaviour exhibited by motorists and general public during the New Year’s Eve celebrations in Mabvuku,” Nyathi said. “We call upon liquor outlet operators to put in place measures to ensure there is adequate parking space for patrons to avoid chaos and stampede during commemoration of major events.”

In another case, 43-year-old Sifiso Bhebhe and his 8-year-old son, Devine Musandipa of Sunrise Township, Sanyati, Kadoma, drowned in a two metre deep pool where the latter had plunged into after the edge of the pool he was sitting on gave in.

Bhebhe also drowned after jumping into the pool to try and save his son.

In a freak accident, a female police officer died on admission at Borrowdale Hospital after being hit by a dislodged haulage trailer wheel at the 51km peg along the Harare Mutare road.

When the trailer wheel dislodged, it careered off, and hit the officer who was standing by the roadside.

In Chipinge, a suspected mental patient, Benjaminbee Sithole (28) has been arrested in connection with the murder of three-year-old Agnes Sigauke after he allegedly crushed her head with a hoe at Mwatsaka Village, Mutema area on December 30. The incident happened after the victim’s 20-year-old mother had refused to give Sithole some vegetables.

Separately, police in Bulawayo are appealing for information that might assist in the investigation of the suspected murder of John Sithole (73) whose body was picked up in a maize field in Donnington on December 29. Sithole’s body had a deep cut on the head.

Meanwhile, two men were arrested in separate incidents on New Year day’s eve for illegally cultivating mbanje. Tawanda Mlambo (28) of Rujeko village, Chikukwa area, Chimanimani was arrested for allegedly cultivating 108 plants of mbanje, while in Zvishavane, Aluis Masvangani (46) was accused of cultivating 43 plants of the drug at Guti Village, Mazvihwa. In both incidents, police received tip offs from members of the public.

New Ziana