Robbers crush girl (8)’s head with boulder

Walter Mswazie, Masvingo Correspondent
AN eight-year-old girl from Masvingo died when two unidentified men crushed her head with a 10kg boulder in a suspected robbery attempt.

Police said the suspects used the huge rock to break down a door to a hut where the victim, her mother and siblings were sleeping on Thursday at around 1:30AM.

The boulder fell on Margret Changa’s head after smashing through the door.

The incident occurred at Changa Village under Chief Nyajena after the victim’s mother, Ms Noria Dovi (31), had refused to open the door for the intruders.

Margret was left bleeding from the nose, mouth and right side of the head.

She was rushed to Nyajena Clinic where she was pronounced dead on arrival.

Masvingo police spokesperson Inspector Charity Mazula the two robbers who could not be identified fled after committing the crime. She said police have since launched a manhunt for the suspects.

Insp Mazula said the body was taken to Morgenster Mission Hospital for postmortem.

“We have received a murder report involving an eight-year-old girl from Chief Nyajena area.

“The girl was sleeping in the kitchen hut with her mother, twin sister, two siblings aged 13 and 11 months when unknown men struck the door to their house intending to forcibly gain entry,” she Insp Mazula.

The police spokesperson said on Wednesday at around 9PM Ms Dovi whose husband, Mr Marapira Changa (39), is based in South Africa and had recently visited his family, retired to bed in the kitchen hut with her four children.

“At about 1:30AM on Thursday, two unknown men arrived at Mr Changa’s homestead and knocked on the door but Dovi remained quiet. One of the men threatened to break down the door,” said Insp Mazula.

“They hurled a stone weighing about 10kg through the door and it landed on Margret’s head.”

Sensing danger, Ms Dovi allegedly phoned her father-in-law, Mr Simon Changa (40), telling him that robbers were threatening to harm her and the children

A male villager who asked not to be named said the robbers are suspected to be well known men in the area.

He said Ms Dovi screamed for help and the robbers fled the scene and she rushed to call Mr Changa at a neighbouring homestead.

“Mr Simon Changa sought transport and rushed Margret to Nyajena Clinic where she died upon arrival. A report was made at Renco Police Station.

Police attended the scene but found the robbers having already disappeared, “he added.

Another villager said it is likely that the suspects were aware that Ms Dovi’s husband had recently visited his family and left some money or groceries which they wanted to steal.

@walterbmswazie2