Africa-Press – Eswatini. A five-year-old girl tragically died after being accidentally shot by her eight-year-old cousin at their home at Lukhitsi, Ekutsimuleni.
It is said young Amahle Nkambule was shot by her cousin with their grandfather’s shotgun at close range. They all lived within the same family compound, where the incident occurred on Saturday evening. The family is distraught as they are still grappling with the thought of their devastating loss. During a visit to the Nkambule homestead, the family was short for words, as they revealed that the parents of the deceased girl were both unemployed and were struggling to make ends meet. They are seeking help from the public in arranging for the burial of their loved one.
Condolences
Members of a local church in the area were seen arriving at the homestead to offer their condolences to the family on their loss. Former Mkhiweni Member of Parliament (MP) Michael Ndlelayekuphila Masuku, was also present to pass condolences to the bereaved family. Narrating how the incident happened, Bhutana Nkambule, the shotgun owner, described the ordeal as outrageous. Bhutana relayed that he and his 18-year-old son had gone out to collect firewood in the bushes, after having left the gun in his house. He said after they were done, he instructed his son to return home and fix himself a meal, before he (Bhutana) quickly rushed to a nearby homestead to assist with tending to cattle, as requested by the family. According to Bhutana, he supposed that the gun was taken by the 18-year-old, who then left it lying idle outside one of the family houses. He mentioned that on his way back home, he came across a black mamba snake attacking goats in the kraal.
“I rushed to get the gun but found that it was not there, but I assumed I would ask the boy about the whereabouts of the gun. At around 5pm, when I was tending to the fields with my wife, we heard loud screams coming from one of the houses and a child crying hysterically,” he retold. Bhutana said one family member approached him and his wife, where they told them that a child had been injured after being shot with a shotgun at close range. He said the children were playing. “It even boggles our minds how the child was even able to pick the shotgun as it is heavy. We could show you, but, unfortunately, it has been taken by the police for further investigations,” Bhutana said. He further stated that the incident happened at a time when both parents of the girl were unemployed and were faced with financial challenges. He requested anyone who was willing to assist with any kind of help to contact him on his mobile number, 7641 1637.
Meanwhile, the deceased girl’s mother, Phetsile Dlamini (25), who was found sitting on a mat, reiterated their cry for help. She said she did not have a picture to share of her young girl as she had never taken a picture. Chief Police Information and Communications Officer Senior Superintendent Phindile Vilakati confirmed the death of the minor girl, who was shot with a shotgun in her chest at Ekutsimuleni on Saturday.
For More News And Analysis About Eswatini Follow Africa-Press
