Calvin Manika
TWO men died inside a well at Tinde village in Binga, in an incident that villagers say is a mystery.
Police in Matabeleland north have identified the deceased as Melusi Tshuma aged 29 and one Nyoni aged 28.
Both were of Mbenge 3 area at Tinde under chief Luumono Pashu.
Matabeleland North Police spokesperson Inspector Glory Banda said it was a sad incident to lose two lives at once.
“The two men died in a well while trying to do a work. The bodies have since been retrieved. But investigations are still underway,” said Inspector Banda.
The Zambezi Times established that in February this year, one Taruvinga Sibanda, met the two deceased at Tinde business centre and contracted them to dug him a water well which was already dug 21 metres dip down.
It is said that on 7 April at around 9.30AM, the two deceased went to Sibanda’s residence to start digging.
Narrating to the police who attended the scene, Sibanda said he instructed Tshuma and Moyo to drain the water which was in the well before they start to dig further.
He said, Tshuma entered into the well with the windlass to check if there were enough foot holes in the well before they drain the water.
“When Tshuma was down in the well, Nyoni called him and he did not respond suggesting that the first deceased was unconscious, we then heard a loud breathing suggesting that the first deceased was suffocating,” said Sibanda.
He said they tried to unwind the windlass in order to bring back Tshuma to the ground but failed since the windlass was heavy for them.
“Nyoni then decided to go down into the well to rescue Tshuma, he tied himself on his waist with the rope which was tied on the handles of the windlass and he entered down into the well leaning on the wire of the windlass. When he was half down in the well he shouted saying please rescue me there is no oxygen inside here, I tried to pull the rope that was tying him but failed since this was also too heavy for me, I heard the loud breathing from Nyoni suggesting that he was also suffocating,” narrated Sibanda to the police.
The Zambezi Times heard that Dubani Nyoni, a neighbour arrived at the scene and assisted Sibanda to pull the rope which was tying Nyoni and they managed to retrieve him out of the well. But, he was already dead.
Nyoni’s body was retrieved by the Bulawayo Fire Department.
