Murehwa boy (12) found dead in a cooler box, Police launch investigations

Police in Mashonaland East province are investigating a case where a 12-year-old boy from Murehwa was found dead in a vending cooler box.

Reports are that the boy went missing on February 3, 2024, after he was left by his father playing with his friends at Musami Business Centre.

However, allegations are that the father, Golden Gorembeu, returned from Bindura where he had gone for a business trip and was informed by his mother-in-law Ms Ester Mutetwa (62), who is a vendor at Musami business centre that the now deceased, Arnold Gorembeu was missing.

It is alleged that the deceased’s father left to attend a memorial service in the nearby Chivhinge village believing that the deceased was still playing with his friends somewhere at the business centre.

Further allegations are that the father of the deceased returned from the memorial service the following morning at around 8 am and discovered that the boy had not slept at home.

It is reported that he then engaged locals in search of the now deceased but they failed to locate him, prompting him to report a missing person report at Musami Post at around 6 pm on the same day.

Police spokesperson for Mashonaland East province Inspector Simon Chazovachiyi confirmed the incident adding that there are suspicions that the boy could have suffocated in the cooler box.

“Mr Golden Gorembeu continued the search for the now deceased until around 8 pm when the now deceased’s young brother Genius Gorembeu (7) discovered Arnold’s body in one of the vending cooler boxes. A report was then made at Musami Post and officers attended to the scene.”