THE Bulawayo woman who was recently mauled by her
landlady’s five dogs yesterday relived the horrific attack saying she could
hear the sound of her flesh being torn off by the vicious canines.
They tore off flesh from Ms Cherish Muchegwa’s arms, legs
and behind on March 10 at a house in West Somerton suburb. She now needs about
US$25 000 for a series of operations.
In an interview at the United Bulawayo Hospitals, Ms
Muchegwa (25) described how the decision to go back home after dropping her son
at her parents’ home before following her husband, Mr Joseph Masaiti, to church
nearly turned fatal.
Ms Muchegwa had just entered the gate to her lodgings when
the dogs ran to her. She did not sense
danger as the dogs had never attacked her since she had moved in two years ago.
However, on the fateful day the hounds had other ideas…
“When they reached me one of them went for my arm and
pulled me down and the others pounced on me and they started ravaging me. I
think they were hungry because they clearly wanted to kill me. They tore off my
clothes and I was completely naked as they bit me.
“I could feel and hear my flesh being torn off and teeth
crunching my bones as they ravaged me. I tried to fight them off with all my
strength but I was no match for them. I somehow had the instinct to use my
hands to protect my neck because they wanted to go for my throat to end my
resistance. The pain I felt as they ate me alive is indescribable. I am alive by the grace of God, “said Ms
Muchegwa.
She said she is grateful to her neighbours as they came to
her rescue after hearing her cry for help.
“I screamed as the dogs were attacking me. No one came to
save me at first but I kept fighting and screaming and as I was passing out I
saw one of my neighbours rushing towards me. In the end I think two of my
neighbours managed to beat the dogs with sticks and stones. I think one was
bitten on the arm and the other on the leg. I am forever thankful to them, they
saved my life by putting their lives at risk.
After the dogs were driven away, women from the
neighborhood came and covered me because I was completely naked as the dogs had
torn off my clothes. I am not bitter about what happened and I don’t blame anyone.
All I want is to recover and I am grateful that people are helping me. Others
want to help can EcoCash my husband on 0773 960 966 or make a bank transfer
using the church’s ZB bank account, Abundant Life Revival Mission
International, account number 4304413264080 Jason Moyo, or Nostro Account
Abundant Life Revival Mission International ZB Belmont Branch 4304-413264-405”
she said
The Chronicle tracked down one of the brave rescuers, Mr
Godfrey Mpofu, who revealed that he is haunted by the sight of the dogs tearing
his neighbour apart.
“I am the first person who responded to the screams from
the young lady. I was in my fowl run when I heard her screams and shouts for
help. The strange thing is that I always go to the Roman Catholic Church on
Sunday, but on that day I didn’t go.
“I told my wife and daughter to go without me and now when
I think about it I think it was God’s doing. I breed free range chickens so on
that day I was feeding my chickens when I suddenly heard my neighbour’s dogs
barking and growling and then my dog and dogs from other houses started
barking.
“Then I heard a scream and someone crying for help, saying
she was being killed by dogs.
“I then knew that my neighbour’s dogs were attacking
someone. I had to move quickly as I knew they were killing her because her
screams were subsiding.
“As I was jumping the wall I was shouting that she should
climb a tree to save herself. One of the dogs came after me and I had to jump
back to my side. I then ran out the gate, calling out the neighbours to come
and help me rescue her. But I could not wait for them to come out of their
homes because if I had waited the dogs could have killed her. I went through
the gate and saw the dogs dragging her and tearing her clothes while others
were chewing off her flesh and eating it and going back for more. She was half
naked at that point.
“I threw stones at the dogs but they were not relenting.
Two came for me and I tried to use a tree branch to fight them off but one of
them managed to sink its teeth into the branch and the other one bit me on the
leg. My plan was to fight off the dogs and carry her out the yard but someone closed
the gate and I was shouting and asking why you closing the gate, you want us to
die caged in here!
“Eventually one person, another neighbour called Banda came
and we managed to fight them off her. By the time we fought them off she was
completely naked, her clothes were torn to shreds, even the tight and underwear
she had on were gone. Those dogs were not biting; they were eating her, they
wanted to devour her. That girl is lucky to be alive,” said Mr Mpofu.
He refused to confirm reports that the five dogs, which
have been put down by the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, had a
history of terrorising not only the people who live with the owner — a Mrs
Rhoda Mlalazi – but also neighbours.
“I don’t want to talk about the history of the dogs, let
sleeping dogs lie. What I can tell you is that they were cross breeds. My dog
is a cross breed but after what happened I fear cross breeds and I had to give
it away to SPCA. Since that day my dog was acting strangely, I think it was
disturbed by the incident. I don’t know but maybe it was the smell of human
blood,” he said.
Neighbours who spoke on condition of anonymity said the
dogs had in the past bitten over five people, eaten 25 of Mr Mpofu’s free range
chickens and 32 rabbits belonging to another neighbour who was not available
for comment.
Mr Danacious Mlalazi, the son of Mrs Mlalazi said: “If the dogs did all that then the neighbours should have
reported that to the police, the council and SPCA.
“They cannot say that now because the dogs attacked Ms
Muchegwa. The only time the dogs attacked anyone was when a stranger entered
our yard at night. People are now being influenced by social media to lie.”
Government has facilitated free local treatment for Ms
Muchegwa.
The Ministry of Health and Child Care came in after
Bulawayo Provincial Affairs Minister Cde Judith Ncube made an appeal for Ms
Muchegwa to get assistance.
She is being treated
at the United Bulawayo Hospitals.
Ms Muchegwa needs $25 000 to undergo a series of operations
in South Africa or India.
In an interview yesterday, Minister Ncube said the Ministry
of Health and Child Care had seen it fit for Ms Muchegwa to get free treatment
while funds are being mobilised for her to travel to South Africa for surgery.
“I have spoken to the perm sec and we are looking into
other ways of assisting. We are trying to help mobilise funds for her treatment
because what befell her is really unfortunate and was a traumatic experience
for her. It is a miracle that she survived,’ said Minister Ncube.
Family spokesperson Pastor Itai Ukama yesterday said Ms
Muchegwa had started receiving free treatment at the United Bulawayo Hospitals.
“The minister has asked the hospital for a waiver of fees
on the patient. We are encouraged by the fact that she’s still reaching out to
the corporate world as well as the government for more assistance both locally
and in Harare. Truly the Minister has been of great help and comfort to us in
this difficult time,” said Pastor Ukama.
Chronicle is in possession of Ms Muchegwa’s pictures, but
cannot publish most of them as they may be distressing to those of a nervous
disposition.
Pastor Ukama said the church has so far raised $11 000 but
it was only enough for pre-operative care. Pre-operative care refers to
healthcare provided before a surgical operation. Chronicle
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