BUHERA – A pistol stolen from Nyashanu High head Daniel Jeche’s house in Buhera by his son was discharged in the school dining hall on Friday last week and the bullet hit Tinotenda Mudiwa (17), a form 4 student just above the left ear.
Mudiwa whose condition was initially reported to be stable died two days later at Parirenyatwa Hospital on Sunday morning.
Efforts to get a comment from Chief Superintendent Paul Nyathi were fruitless as his mobile went unanswered.The District Schools’ Inspector Godfrey Chimbwanda said he cannot comment since the case is still under investigations.
When called for comment, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education Sylivia Utete-Masango confirmed the incident but said that she was still waiting for a report from Manicaland Provincial Education Director.
The suspect who cannot be named because of his age has since been arrested by the Police and is helping with investigations. The pistol used in the incident was recovered.
Sources told The Mirror that the students were doing holiday lessons with their Religious Studies teacher Mutsvedu. She briefly left to collect some textbooks. It is then that the head’s son who also cannot be named because of his age allegedly entered the dining room with a pistol hidden in his jacket.
The accused saw the pistol and asked to look at it. It was when he was examining the firearm that it accidentally discharged thereby hitting the deceased in the head.
What pained the community most is that the accused and deceased were best friends who stayed at the staff quarters and were always together. Mudiwa’s father is a cook at the school while the accused stays with his uncle who is a teacher.
The deceased was taken to Murambinda Hospital and later transferred to Parirenyatwa. The school head is understood to have been away when the incident happened.
The pistol was stolen from a locked wardrope. – Masvingo Mirror
