Dad mistakes son for baboon, fatally shoots him

AN octogenarian farmer (81) mistook his 46-year-old son for a baboon and fatally shot him recently.

The now late Innocent Nyakurerwa was chasing a troop of baboons that had invaded their maize field when the incident happened.

Unknown to Innocent, his father, Isaac Nyakurerwa (81) of Plot 20A, Fairfield Farm in Headlands was taking aim at the same troop of baboons he was chasing — using a registered Winchester rifle — and fired a single shot that hit his chin and killed him on the spot.

Isaac Nyakurerwa has since been arrested and is facing culpable homicide charges. Acting Manicaland provincial police spokesperson, Assistant Inspector Wiseman Chinyoka, confirmed the incident, and said investigations are in progress.

He said Nyakurerwa allegedly spotted his deceased son’s shadow and mistook it for a baboon. He only realised the fatal mistake when the deceased screamed for help. Assistant Inspector Chinyoka said they had initially charged Nyakurerwa with murder as defined in Section 47 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, Chapter 9.23.

However, after vetting the docket presented to them last week, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) at Rusape Magistrates’ Courts directed the police to charge the octogenarian with culpable homicide.

According to the request for remand form submitted to the prosecution by police, Nyakurerwa shot Innocent once on the chin and he died on the spot.

“On March 26, 2024 at Plot 20A, Fairfield 20 Farm in Headlands, the accused person was chasing some baboons which were approaching his maize field.

He fired a shot with his riffle, a Winchester 22 to the mountain where the baboons were and he accidentally shot his biological son, Innocent Nyakurerwa, aged 46 on the chin. Innocent died on the spot. The rifle and spent cartridge were recovered from the scene,” it reads.

Nyakurerwa has since been released from custody waiting to be charged with culpable homicide. He is expected to appear in court soon. In an unrelated incident, a Honde Valley man was found dead with his body in an advanced state of decomposition in a suspected murder case.

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