Granny (62) arrested for killing niece

Police in Chiwundura have picked up a 62-year-old granny who allegedly fatally assaulted her teenage niece for refusing to fetch firewood and water.Police said the granny went on to dump the body in a nearby dam.

The girl's body was later found floating in the dam by a villager with some visible injuries and swollen face, days after the granny had reported the girl, Chipo Tsiga, 15, missing.

Acting police spokesperson for Midlands, Assistant Inspector Ethel Mukwende yesterday  said police were investigating the alleged murder.

Said Asst Insp Mukwende: "The now deceased girl, Chipo Tsiga's body was found floating in Mudzani Dam under Headman Chizivana, Chief Chiwundura with some visible injuries.

Edith Chizivana, 62, a grandmother to the now deceased who was taking care of the girl had initially reported the girl missing".

Asst Insp Mukwende said Chizivana has since been arrested and was assisting with investigations.

"Chizivana allegedly assaulted the girl with a stick after she  refused to fetch firewood and water. She allegedly used a stick to assault the girl on the head and she fell unconscious. The granny panicked and took advantage of darkness to go and throw the girl's body into Mudzani Dam," said the police.

The police said chances were that the girl was just unconscious when she was thrown into the water where she later drowned.

Asst Insp Mukwende said police were still waiting for a postmortem report.