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Rutendo Rori Marondera Correspondent
A 39-year-old man, who was employed as an elephant handler at Bally Vaughan Farm in Goromonzi was on Monday killed by a bull elephant while he was taking videos and playing with the animal. Simon Kwirapo was trampled to death while he was taking turns to take videos of the elephant with his workmate Leon Sande (41), who managed to escape. Mashonaland East acting provincial police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Tendai Mwanza confirmed the incident yesterday.

“I can confirm that we received a report of a man who was attacked by a bull elephant whilst he was playing with the animal with his colleague at Bally Vaughan Farm under Chief Chikwaka in Goromonzi,” he said.

According to police, on October 9 at around 1140 hours at Bally Vaughan Farm, Kwirapo and Sande, employed as elephant handlers were in charge of one female elephant and a bull elephant, waiting for guests to arrive. It is alleged that they took turns to take videos while playing with the animals and the bull elephant lost its temper and trampled Kwirapo to death.

Sande managed to escape and rushed to tell the farm owner Gordon Pauterill (58), who went to the scene armed with an A375 magnum rifle and shot the bull elephant. Banda Chadzuka (48) reported the case at Juru Police, who attended the scene. Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority officials also attended the scene.