Game scout employed by Mohadi ‘accidentally’ shoots himself dead

BEITBRIDGE – The state controlled media is reporting that a 45 year old game scout employed by Home Affairs Minister Kembo Mohadi shot himself dead when his rifle accidentally discharged on Tuesday afternoon at a farm located 65 kilometres along the Beitbridge- Bulawayo road.

Arthur Mhaka’s body was taken to the United Bulawayo Hospital (UBH) for a post-mortem. The officer commanding Beitbridge district Chief Superintendent Lawrence Chinhengo said the matter was now under investigation. He said Mhaka went missing on Tuesday afternoon.

“The game scout was supposed to start work at around 6pm on the same day. Initial investigations reveal that he left his workplace for fishing at Zhovhe dam carrying his 202 rifle on Tuesday afternoon. Indications are that while on his way back from the dam the firearm discharged while he attempted to cross a fence.

“As a result he shot himself in the neck and the bullet was lodged under his chin.  He then tried to walk back to the farm but unfortunately he died along the way because of excessive bleeding.”

Mhaka failed to report for work, prompting the other game scouts to contact the wife who also works at the same farm. An overnight search was conducted but they failed to find him. His body was discovered at around 5am on the following day in a sitting position under a tree holding his rifle in the left hand.

“We recovered one spent cartridge and another live round. The body has already been taken to Bulawayo for a post-mortem. The firearm has also been taken to Harare for ballistic tests. At the moment we are not suspecting any foul play though investigations are in progress,” said Chief Supt Chinhengo.

The game scout allegedly shooting himself by accident will raise suspicions given that Mohadi was implicated in the 1999 murder of Lutheran World Federation employee Strover Mutonhori and the minister has since then used his control of the police to kill off any investigations into the case.

Mutonhori worked with Mohadi’s wife Tambudzani and the two allegedly had an affair. Mutonhori disappeared from the Omadu Hotel in Kezi, only for his remains to be found in Mzingwane outside Bulawayo. Soon after the murder, family members were harassed by suspected state security agents.