The ManicaPost
Abel Zhakata
Senior Reporter
A Makoni family was plunged into mourning on Christmas Day after three siblings woke up dead after inhaling a poisonous pesticide that had been used to treat maize by their father.
National police spokesman Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the death of Vimbai (7), Vimbiso (5) and Violet Kufakunesu (1) who passed on at their homestead in Jowa Village under Chief Makoni.
He urged farmers to acquire the necessary knowledge before using pesticides and herbicides.
Circumstances were that on December 24, the father of the deceased siblings, Tafadzwa Kufakunesu and his wife Annah Joyce Saineti treated their shelled maize with Aluminium Phosphide 560TB fumigation tablets.
They stored the treated maize in their storeroom.
At around 9pm the family retired to bed in a bedroom that is next to the storeroom.
At around 4.30am on Christmas Day, Kufakunesu discovered that his three daughters had died during the course of the night.
Kufakunesu and his wife suffered from weak joints and a running stomach.
Neighbours were informed of the incident and rushed the couple to Weya Rural District Hospital, where they were treated and discharged.
ZRP Inyati attended the scene and inspected the girls’ bodies.
The bodies were conveyed to Rusape General Hospital mortuary for post mortem.
Police also recovered the remaining Aluminium Phosphide 560TB fumigation tablets.
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