Zimpapers Logo

Walter Mswazie Masvingo Correspondent
FOUR suspected fish poachers from Zaka drowned while fleeing from a bogus policeman who threatened to arrest them for illegally catching fish from Shenjere Dam in Triangle.

The four were allegedly fishing using nets with four other villagers who managed to escape. National police spokesperson, Chief Superintendent Paul Nyathi said a press statement on the matter would be released soon by Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba.

Police identified the deceased as Tendai Chando, 25, Rumbidzai Gurashira, 15, Pinel Rugadza, 18, of Chipirongo Village and Melisa Panganai, 12, of Chabata Village under Chief Bota, Zaka.

Their bodies were taken to Chiredzi District Hospital mortuary for post-mortem.

The incident occurred on Tuesday at around 1AM.

According to a villager, Phillip Manjengwa of Ungwezi Village, Chief Tshovani in Chiredzi, the eight people, mostly juveniles, went on a fishing expedition at Shenjere Dam.

Manjengwa said when the “fake cop” threatened them, four of them drowned while the other four managed to escape.

“The four who survived managed to swim to safety but the other four were not so fortunate. They drowned when they reached the deep-end of the dam and their bodies were retrieved by police the following day.

The man who masqueraded as a police officer and threatened to arrest the fish poachers, Munowafa Mafambure, has since been arrested,” said Manjengwa.

He said on Tuesday at around 9PM, while at Shenjere Dam, Sylvia Mabingire, 39, Virginia Ndino, 39, two juveniles aged 17 and 13 years respectively, all of Chief Bota area in Zaka were fishing using nets together with the four who are now dead.

“At around 1AM Munowafa Mafambure, 18, who impersonated a policeman, passed by the dam threatening to arrest the eight who were busy catching fish. Upon seeing Mafambure, whom they believed to be a genuine policeman, the group stopped fishing and headed towards their clothes. The daring teenager rushed and cornered them forcing them to swim across the dam,” said Manjengwa.