An illegal gold panner named Macron Japajapa (40) from Nehanda village, Chief Kazangarare, Hurungwe in Karoi, was killed by an elephant in the Zambezi Valley Escarpment on September 12, 2023.
Japajapa, his brother Knowledge (23), and other villagers went into the wilderness for unauthorized gold prospecting. Around 11 p.m., they paused near Mukwichi River for a break. They then encountered the elephant which killed Japajapa.
Inspector Margaret Chitove, the spokesperson for the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) in Mashonaland West confirmed the development. Said Chitove:
The following morning the team continued with its journey, and along the way spotted a trumpeting elephant charging towards them emerging from a nearby bush.
The men bolted in different directions and later regrouped and this is when they noticed Macron Japajapa was missing and returned to scene and found him dead lying face-down.
The body of the deceased showed evident injuries, including fractured legs and puncture wounds from the elephant’s tusks, which pierced from the back to the chest.
Authorities were informed, and the police promptly arrived at the location and transported the body to Kazangarare.
Law enforcement officials advised the public to refrain from intentionally entering areas inhabited by wildlife and to avoid engaging in illegal activities like gold panning.