adminMidlands Correspondent
A 13-YEAR-OLD Gweru girl was yesterday morning electrocuted together with her terminally ill grandmother she was bathing.
Police confirmed the incident which occurred at about 7am in Ascot suburb.Midlands police spokesperson Inspector Emmanuel Mahoko identified the two as Loveness Pedzesai (56) and her granddaughter, Unity Masarira.
“The circumstances are that the two deceased, Loveness Pedzesai (56) and a teenager, Unity Masarira were in their bathroom cum toilet where the girl was helping her ailing grandmother to bath. The bathroom cum toilet is detached from the main house. While bathing, the two experienced some electric shocks and shouted for help,” said Insp Mahoko.
He said a neighbour, Mr Isheunopa Dube who heard the screams rushed to the scene and forced open the toilet door.
Insp Mahoko said Mr Dube who also experienced electric shock in the process of opening the toilet door finally managed to force his way in and found the two lying unconscious on the floor.
“The two were rushed to Gweru Provincial Hospital but were pronounced dead on arrival,” said Insp Mahoko.
The Midlands police spokesperson said the matter was reported to the police who attended the scene.
He said police investigations revealed that there were some illegal connections that were done at a neighbour’s house, which could have resulted in a short circuit at the two’s house.
Insp Mahoko said police have since arrested the neighbour who is suspected to have illegally connected power.
“The suspect is in police custody assisting the police with investigations,” he said.
Meanwhile, Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company general manager for Southern Region Engineer King Dube said preliminary investigations revealed that the cause of the electricity short circuit at Pedzisai’s house was a result of illegal power connections at the neighbour’s house.
“When our office received reports of the sad and tragic incident, we dispatched our team to investigate and the information gathered was that there were many illegal power connections at the neighbour’s house. These illegal connections caused electric shocks on the now deceased’s entire house, including the toilet,” he said.
The short circuit was caused by an illegal power connection to the neighbour’s fowl run.
“The neighbour’s illegal power connection to the fowl run had some bare wires and we have since disconnected power at the house,” said Mr Dube.
Londile Moyo
Online Reporter