KWEKWE – A soldier is feared dead after he was last seen being dragged into the deep waters of the Munyati River by a crocodile on December 30, police said.
The incident happened on a stretch of the river in the Saltana Ranch near Kwekwe.
Sergeant Invin’ca Gamunya’s body has not been recovered and a search involving police divers, the army and Zimparks continues.
The 34-year-old who was attached to 53 Infantry Battalion in Battlefields was on deployment at the Kavinga military base inside the Saltana Ranch when he offered to assist three women cross the flooded Munyati River.
After helping the women to successfully get to the other side, Gamunya was attacked by the reptile as he swam back across the swollen river just after 4PM.
The women first approached Sergeant Innocent Chikuturudzi to help them cross the river, but he declined, according to police. Gamunya, who overheard their conversation, then offered to assist the women without seeking the authority of his superiors.
When Chikuturudzi became aware that Gamunya was gone, he sent a soldier Private Emmanuel Usaiwevhu to run after him and summon him back to base, according to police.
“When Usaiwevhu got to the river, he saw Gamunya on the other side of the river with the women already gone. He signalled him to return to the base,” an internal police report of the incident seen by ZimLive stated.
“Gamunya got into the river intending to cross and when he was about seven meters in the water he screamed for help. Usaiwevhu quickly noticed that he was being whisked away into the deep waters by a crocodile. He tried to assist by throwing stones in a bid to scare away the reptile but all was in vain.”
Usaiwevhu told police that the crocodile dragged Gamunya for about 50 meters before submerging.
Police divers have been scouring the river looking for Gamunya’s body and the crocodile without success.
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