Form 2 pupil dies from cat bite

Tinashe Zisengwe

Pets may be man’s best friend, but for Shurugwi people the sentiment might mean something else following a recent sad case where a form two pupil died after a cat bite on her left thigh.

Ruth Chisvo (14) of Juchuta Secondary School in Shurugwi met her fate while coming from school with her friend Ratidzo Manzini.

In a telephonic interview with Ratidzo she said they met a cat like animal which strangely jumped to Ruth and bite her resulting in her becoming unconscious.

The friend then rushed to a nearby household in search of assistance and they managed to rush Ruth to a nearby clinic, where the deceased’s mother Eunice Malunga was asked to buy medications.

Whilst she was still in search of the money to buy the medication that is when the mother got the sad news that her child had passed on.

Some allegations are that the girl died because the cat which had bitten the her was infected by rabies.

However, a close relative who preferred anonymity said they are suspecting foul play on the death of Ruth as the mother had received death threats from neighbours after a heated argument on witchcraft allegations.

“Sometime last week one of their neighbours threatened death on Malunga’s family after the two had exchanged harsh words accusing each other of being wizards,” she said.