Inyathi juvenile killer, rapist arrested

Caroline Mutsawu, Sunday News Reporter

POLICE in Inyathi have arrested a 17-year-old male juvenile who allegedly assaulted, raped and killed an eight-year-old female juvenile whose body was found a week later in a decomposing state.

It is alleged the eight-year-old was in class at Longwe Primary school when she asked to use the toilet from her teacher and never returned to class.

“The mother of the now deceased went to her daughter’s school in search of her and was informed that she had left before break time. She continued in search of her to no avail and filed a report of a missing person to the police in Inyathi on 24 October. The police joined forces with the villagers in search of the missing child.

“On 27 October at around 10pm, the villagers found the body of the missing child in a bushy area in Longwe, Inyathi with blood stained stones besides her and immediately informed the police who attended the scene,” said Matabeleland North Spokesperson Inspector Glory Banda in confirming the matter.

“The next day, police in Inyathi and Lupane CID revisited the scene and gathered information which led to the arrest of the accused person (17).  The accused person stated that he had seen the deceased leaving school through an illegal exit and ambushed her, assaulting her several times with a stone. When he noticed that she was unconscious, he raped her once without protection and fled,” Insp Banda added.

The police spokesperson urged members of the public to desist from performing such heinous acts and to respect human life always

Meanwhile in an unrelated incident a 41-year-old Hwange woman was last Thursday electrocuted as she attended to chickens in her fowl run.

Lilian Mhlanga of Madumabisa village Hwange, was electrocuted to death after she tried to switch on a light in her fowl run intending to give feed to the chicks.

“Circumstances are that on 27 October 2022 and at around 1900Hrs, Lilian Mhlanga entered a fowl run intending to feed her chickens. When switching on the lights, she was electrocuted and fell down to the floor. Her daughter who later followed her to the fowl run, found her lying on the floor. She tried to hold her by her hand but she was also shocked by the electricity. She decided to call out for help and it was only when an electric breaker was tripped down by one of the neighbours that they managed to remove Mhlanga from the fowl run,” said Insp. Banda.

She was rushed to St Patricks Hospital where she was pronounced dead upon arrival.