Tragedy struck the community of Birchenough Bridge in Manicaland as a six-year-old girl, who had gone missing on Friday, was found lifeless near a weighbridge at the growth point on Sunday. The incident has sent shockwaves of fear throughout the area.
According to Inspector Nobert Muzondo, the Manicaland provincial police spokesperson, the girl was playing with her sibling at home around 8pm when she suddenly disappeared. It was later discovered that the children had joined a crowd gathering to witness a road traffic accident near the shops while their parents were inside their grocery shop.
Concerned and unable to locate their missing child, the parents eventually found the other child but were met with ignorance when they inquired about the whereabouts of their daughter. The following day, a report was made to the police, prompting a search operation. Tragically, the girl’s lifeless body was discovered near the weighbridge by a villager.
Police authorities arrived at the scene and transported the body to Birchenough Bridge Hospital for a post-mortem examination. Inspector Muzondo shared that initial findings did not indicate any signs of mutilation on the girl’s body. However, the official cause of her death is yet to be determined pending the results of the post-mortem.
Heartbroken and speaking from Birchenough Bridge, the girl’s father, Mr Mwadira Matake, expressed the immense pain and disbelief he and his family are experiencing. He never imagined such a tragic fate for his child. While unable to verify the integrity of all body parts due to the police investigation, Mr Matake mentioned that from a distance, it appeared that the girl’s legs, head, and arms were intact. However, the family and the community strongly suspect the involvement of ritual murderers, a belief that awaits confirmation or refutation by the post-mortem results.
The loss of a young life under such circumstances has deeply affected the community, leaving them in mourning and gripped by fear.
