Online Reporter
The Herald, 4 August 1983
A 13-YEAR-OLD boy who accidentally shot and killed a domestic worker last year landed his father in court charged with culpable homicide.
Passing sentence on a Queen’s Park man yesterday, Bulawayo magistrate Mr Douglas Knight said it was unfortunate that the public had to be constantly reminded of the dangerous nature of firearms.
The State, represented by Mr Simon Nleya, claimed that the man was guilty of negligence in the handling of a .22 rifle, and was therefore responsible for the death of his housemaid, Cde Ruth Ndlovu. The man pleaded not guilty. He was fined $250 (or, 25 days).
Mr Nleya claimed that on December 17 the father, parking his car to go fishing, had left his rifle on a bed in the house. He sent his son to fetch the rifle and the boy, not knowing how the weapon worked, cocked it and walked out with it at shoulder level.
As he left the house, the boy pointed the gun towards the kitchen where Cde Ndlovu was ironing, pulled the trigger and shot her in the neck. She died in hospital the same day. In mitigation the man’s legal representative, Mr Mike McGoey said his client had bought the gun three months before the accident and it had since been confiscated by the police.
He did not want it returned as it had caused “so much heartache” to him and his family. The magistrate said it was probable the man had received enough punishment waiting since December 17 envisaging what would happen plus the sorrow experienced by the family after the tragedy.
In assessing the father’s degree of negligence, Mr Knight said firearms were very dangerous and through accidents many people were injured, maimed or killed. He noted that the father had paid $2 000 compensation Ndlovu’s family.
Lessons for today
- The tragedy occurred because a loaded rifle was left where a child could access it. Guns are not ordinary household items and must be secured at all times. Firearms should be unloaded, locked away, and kept out of the reach of children and unauthorised persons.
- The father did not intend for anyone to be harmed, but a moment of carelessness led to the loss of a life and immense suffering for two families. This was a devastating consequence.
- The domestic worker lost her life, the boy had to live with the memory of the accident, and the father and family suffered grief and legal consequences. The case reminds us that no amount of compensation can truly replace a lost life.
- The magistrate noted that people constantly needed reminding about the dangers of firearms because accidents continued to occur. Continuous public education on safety, whether involving firearms, vehicles, machinery, or technology, remains important.
- The central lesson from this 1983 case is that with ownership comes responsibility. Dangerous tools such as firearms require extreme care, and failure to observe basic safety measures can lead to irreversible tragedy. The story reminds us that prevention is always better than regret.
