Xmas tragedy, Chasura boats owner and boat captain arrested

POLICE have arrested three people in connection with the Lake Chivero Ch-ristmas Day disaster in which 11 children drowned.

Owner of Chasura Boats, Latif Ameer (53), boat captain Fadil Ramon Weale (27) and mechanic-cum driver Enock Yorani Zulu (36) are being held at Harare Central Police Station.

Police officer in charge of operations Harare Province Assistant Commissioner Canaan Mugumira yesterday said the trio is expected to appear in court today. "The three are still helping police with investigations and are likely to be charged with 11 counts of culpable homicide," he said.

Contrary to earlier reports that the boat had 19 passengers, police say there were 17 people on board, including a crew of two - the driver and the captain.

Six people survived.

Four of the 11 children - Tanaka Ruzvidzo, Tatenda Ruzvidzo, Sharon Ruzvidzo and Angeline Rusito were buried in Domboshava yesterday.

Rasim Jaison and Anna Chitungo were buried at Warren Hills Cemetery and Sedze, Nyanga, respectively.

Munashe Joramu will be buried today in Norton.

Burial arrangements for the other four - Sprenner and Anesu Kaseke, Tadiwanashe January and Pathras Chimimba could not be ascertained last night.

Mr Douglas Ruzvidzo said it was unbelievable that his sons, niece Angeline Kasito and sister-in-law Anna Chitungo died such a cruel death.

Asst Comm Mugumira said investigations so far have revealed that the boat, which carries seven people - including the driver - was overloaded.

He said the boats: Chasura 1, which capsized, and Chasura 2 that came to the rescue were not registered and did not have life jackets.

On the fateful day, Chasura 1 had not been functional for a while and was being repaired by Zulu.

It is believed that Zulu was only meant to test drive the boat, but together with Weale, they decided to pick up the group of 15 passengers from the Fish Eagle dock.

On approaching Hunyani Hills, the crew, it is alleged, asked the passengers if they wanted to reach the dam wall but some were against the idea.

Some of the passengers demanded to be set ashore rather than risk the return trip to Fish Eagle.

When Zulu stopped the boat, it capsized at around 6:30pm.

Asst Comm Mugumira said the driver and the captain managed to swim to the shore and collected the other boat Chasura 2 and, with the assistance of members of the public on the shoreline, managed to save four people.

They made a police report an hour later and the police sub aqua unit attended the scene that night, but could not retrieve the bodies due to bad light.

They retrieved the bodies on Monday morning.

Meanwhile, the National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority has, with immediate effect, suspended Fish Eagle recreational facility from operating any boats at Lake Chivero until investigations into the fatal accident have been completed.

Ruzivo Ruzvidzo, an uncle of the deceased, hinted that the family will take legal action against the boat owner and officials who run the facilities at Lake Chivero after burial.

"The owner of the boat should be held responsible. How can he use his boat without life jackets? Those who are operating premises at Lake Chivero should also be accountable.

"We have been told that water in the dam is very contaminated, making it difficult to rescue people in case of any disaster. If the situation is left like that, many people are going to die in that dam," he said.