Crocodile attacks, eats 11-year-old Mwenezi boy

Herald Reporter

AN 11-year-old Mwenezi boy was attacked and killed by a crocodile while swimming with friends and only his head, intestines and leg were recovered.

Liberty Chimusoro — of Deku Village — and his friends were swimming in Mwenezi River when the crocodile attacked and dragged him deep into the water.

Liberty’s friends then ran to inform their parents who rushed to the river along with other villagers.

After searching up and down the riverbank, they found the boy’s leg floating in the river and the crocodile a few metres away from the scene.

The angry villagers threw stones at the reptile, which then disappeared into the water.

Liberty’s head and intestines were also recovered and taken to a police station where a report was made.

Police spokesperson Superintendent Andrew Phiri urged the public not to swim or fish in crocodile-infested rivers and dams as they risked losing their lives.

Despite these calls by the police, many people continue to be attacked and killed by crocodiles while fishing or swimming.

Others have been attacked while fetching water.

Last week, a 48-year-old Masvingo man was attacked and killed by a crocodile while poaching fish in Mutirikwi Dam in Masvingo.

Tawanda Mukozha, who was in the company of a friend, Refinos Mutumwa, went to Mutirikwi Dam at Simon Plot where they cast nets to catch fish.

His remains were not found.

In March, three people — two of them children aged eight and 12 — were killed by crocodiles in separate incidents in Kadoma, Darwendale and Glendale.

An eight-year-old boy died when a crocodile pulled him into Muzvezve River in Kadoma while he swam with a friend.

In Darwendale, a crocodile attacked Joseph Nhiwatiwa of Mvebi Farm while fishing in Muzhanje Dam.