Father shoots and kills his own son after mistaking him for a baboon

In a devastating and tragic incident on Fairfield Farm in Headlands, a father mistakenly shot and killed his son after confusing him for a baboon in their maize field.

The heartbreaking event unfolded on 26 March 2024, leaving a family shattered by a terrible loss.

Isaac Nyakurerwa, an 81-year-old farmer, had been armed with his registered Winchester rifle when he fired a single shot towards a troop of baboons in the field.

Tragically, his 46-year-old son, Innocent Nyakurerwa, who was also in the same area chasing the baboons, was struck by the fatal shot to the chin.

The mistake was made as Isaac mistook his son’s shadow for that of a baboon in the field.

Assistant Inspector Wiseman Chinyoka, acting Manicaland provincial police spokesperson, shared details of the heartbreaking incident, noting that Isaac only realized his mistake when he heard Innocent scream for help.

The family was left devastated by the unintended tragedy, as a routine day on the farm turned into a nightmare.

Initially charged with murder as per the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, Chapter 9.23, Isaac Nyakurerwa’s actions were driven by a tragic case of mistaken identity.


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