Online Reporter
Tendai Gukutikwa
Post Reporter
MUTARE residents were left reeling in shock and disbelief last Saturday afternoon following the gruesome discovery of an infant’s body dumped in a refuse bin along Herbert Chitepo Street, adjacent to First Capital Bank.
The disturbing find was made around 4.45pm by passers-by who found the tiny body of a baby, believed to be around seven to eight-months-old, lying on its left side.
Acting Manicaland provincial police spokesperson, Assistant Inspector Wiseman Chinyoka, confirmed the incident, and revealed they are treating the matter as a case of exposing an infant.
“We received a report from a passer-by, Mugove Chikwiri, who had noticed people gathered around a refuse bin and became curious. Upon checking, he discovered the body of a baby inside.
“Police officers from Mutare Central and detectives from CID Mutare attended the scene and retrieved the body, which was referred to Victoria Chitepo Provincial Hospital for a post-mortem,” said Assistant Inspector Chinyoka, adding that preliminary observations suggested that the baby was dumped recently, as there were no bloodstains at the scene.
“The child’s body appeared fresh, and no visible injuries were noted at the time.
“The infant is estimated to have been between seven and eight-months-old. Investigations are underway to identify the mother or whoever is responsible for this shocking act,” he said.
The discovery attracted a sizeable crowd of stunned onlookers, some of whom expressed outrage, while others were overcome with grief.
Prisca Gondo, a vendor who operates nearby, said she was shaken to the core when she saw the small body.
“I could not believe what I was seeing. How can someone have a baby for eight months, and then throw it away like trash?
“This is cruel beyond words. As a mother, I feel the pain even more because a baby is innocent and deserves love and protection,” she said, adding that initially she had thought people were stampeding to see money that had been dropped or perhaps an accident, only to realise it was far worse.
“When I pushed closer and looked inside the bin, I froze. The baby’s small hands were curled as if still reaching for comfort. I could not hold back my tears.
“That sight will haunt me for a long time. No human being deserves to be discarded in such a way, least of all a helpless child,” she said.
Another witness, Farai Nhamo said the sight will haunt him for a long time.
“The image of that tiny body will stay with me. Whoever did this has no heart.
“If the mother was struggling to take care of the child, she could have sought help from social services, churches, or even neighbours. Dumping the baby in a bin is unthinkable,” he said.
He explained that when he first heard people shouting, he thought it was a fight, only to discover people weeping and pointing into the bin.
“I looked and immediately became weak-kneed. The baby looked so peaceful, like it was sleeping, but the setting was so cruel.
“I imagined my own children, and I shuddered. This is, not just a crime against the baby, but against humanity. Whoever is responsible must be found and punished,” he added.
Police have appealed to members of the public to come forward with any information leading to the identification of the baby or the person responsible for dumping the body.
“We urge anyone who may have information about a woman who had a baby of about seven or eight-months-old, but no longer has a baby, or anyone who may have seen suspicious movements around Herbert Chitepo Street last Saturday afternoon, to immediately report to the nearest police station.
“Every detail, no matter how small, could help us bring justice for this baby,” Assistant Inspector Chinyoka said.
He also issued a stern warning against such acts, reminding the public that abandoning or exposing an infant is a serious criminal offence under the country’s law.
