Croc appears from nowhere, terrorises residents

RESIDENTS in Hwange panicked when a big crocodile appeared from nowhere and blocked the main gate at St Patrick’s Hospital on Tuesday.

The reptile made the hospital a no go area for almost two hours as it charged at anyone who came close to the gate.

The nearest water body is Kalape Dam in St Mary’s suburb, about 10KM away hence residents came up with bizarre explanations of the crocodile’s invasion of the hospital.

Pirate taxi drivers were among the first to see the huge reptile at about 7PM as it blocked the gate at the hospital which is in Empumalanga suburb.

A ZimParks team came and killed the crocodile and by then a huge crowd had gathered.

Residents had varied interpretations of the crocodile’s presence at a place so far away from a water body.

Chief Shana said it was rare for a crocodile to stray far from water. “In our African traditional beliefs, once a crocodile attacks a person and the person doesn’t die, it follows to finish them off. It can follow that person even to his or her home. We therefore suspect a resident from that area could have escaped its attack hence it was hunting for him,” said the Chief.

Hospital staff said there was no one admitted following a crocodile attack and police also said they had not received a report of a crocodile attack in the area.

Chief Shana said it was also probable that the crocodile belonged to an individual and something might have gone wrong.

Hwange Local Board Housing clerk, Mr Themba Tshuma said startled residents jammed the switchboard with distress calls. “In less than five minutes, I had received more than 10 phone calls from residents who were in serious panic mode and were requesting that we contact the ZimParks, Fire and Rescue Team to rush to the scene. At first I thought it was a prank because crocodiles are found around water bodies and not in the middle of a suburb,” said Mr Tshuma.

“Outlandish speculations were given by the scared residents, with some believing that someone fond of using juju may have failed to follow given instructions and suddenly changed into a giant, angry, living crocodile.”

Mr Tshuma said residents found it difficult to believe that the crocodile had moved all the way from Kalape Dam — which was also not a known habitat for crocodiles — without being spotted along the way. Zimparks spokesperson, Mr Tinashe Farawo, said he was aware of the incident and said the crocodile could have strayed from nearby water bodies.

“I can confirm we received a report of a crocodile that was spotted at the main gate of a local hospital. We suspect it may have strayed from water bodies. Our team, however, put it down because it was a threat to the community. We are in the rainy season and most water bodies are flooded and maybe due to flash floods, it is possible for the reptile to have been washed away, landing somewhere in the suburb,” he said.

Mr Farawo said although it was common for animals to stray into residential areas, the noise and excitement from the people usually cause wild animals to become vicious and charge as they are not used to the noise. — @winnie_masara POLICE superintendent, Kennedy Fero, who was roped in by Mrs Grace Mugabe to grab three low density houses from Lebanese businessman, Mr Jamal Ahmed, has been ordered off the properties to pave way for the rightful owners.

Judge President George Chiweshe ordered Supt Fero and other guards off Number 409 Harare Drive, Pomona, Number 18 Cambridge Road Road, Avondale and Number 75 King George, Avonadale, together with any other guards or people deployed there.

Supt Fero was heading the team of guards deployed to the properties after the illegal takeover.

On the strength of the court judgment, Mr Ahmed’s lawyers have since instructed the Sheriff of the High Court to evict Supt Fero and any other guards who are still at the properties.

Mrs Mugabe and her son, from another marriage, Mr Russel Goreraza had since vacated the premises.

The properties were illegally grabbed without any court order after Mrs Mugabe, who was bitter about the $1,2 million she had lost in a diamond ring deal, abused her powers as the First Lady and deployed armed police officers to the houses.

The violent takeover of the properties threatened Mr Ahmed resulting in him fleeing the country.

Since there was no evidence proving that Mrs Mugabe and her son were occupying the properties, Judge president Chiweshe issued an order against Supt Fero. “The application succeeds as against the third respondent (Supt Fero).

“Consequently, the third respondent and all those claiming occupation of the applicant’s properties through him, namely Number 409 Harare Drive, Pomona, Number 18 Cambridge Road, Avondale and Number 75 King George, Avondale, be and are hereby ordered to forthwith vacate the said properties.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the provision of paragraph 2 shall apply to all persons who are currently in occupation of the properties mentioned above without the authority and consent of the applicants as of the date of this order,” ruled the Judge President.

Justice Chiweshe ordered the Sheriff of the High Court to evict the occupants. “The Sheriff of the High Court be and is hereby ordered to forthwith cause the eviction of the said occupants and to immediately restore possession of the occupied properties to the applicants,” he said.

In December 2016, High Court judge Justice Clement Phiri issued a default judgment against Mrs Mugabe and her son and ordered them off the properties together with the rest of the guards.

However, in June 2017, Judge President Chiweshe reversed Justice Phiri’s decision relying on High Court Rule 449 (1) (a).

The Judge President set aside the decision of a fellow judge after the police rushed to the First Family’s defence. Police detectives told the court that Mrs Mugabe had nothing to do with the deployment of police guards and that the properties were being protected as exhibits in some ongoing criminal investigations against Mr Ahmed.

Meanwhile, Mrs Mugabe is suing Mr Ahmed for $1,23 million over a diamond ring deal that went sour last year.

Mrs Mugabe claims she approached Mr Ahmed in April 2015, who was in the business of diamond-cutting and polishing and ordered a 100-carat special ring worth $1 ,35 million for her wedding anniversary. She paid in advance through her CBZ Bank account. However, in breach of the agreement, Mr Ahmed allegedly failed to deliver the ring, triggering a legal wrangle.