We jumped into Lake Kariba because of fear, says surviving SDA youth
By Mwaka Ndawa/ The Mast
A MEMBER of the Seventh Day Adventist who survived drowning in Lake Kariba early this year during a camp meeting in Siavonga has narrated to the High Court that himself and his departed friends dived into the lake due to fear as a coxswain steered the fishing rig which they had boarded without informing them where he was heading to.
This is in a matter where Jonathan Haajaya, Osborne Mambo and Tyson Hachiyako are charged with manslaughter.
The trio is on January 1, 2022 alleged to have caused the death of six youths identified as Goodson Hamaila, Rodwell Chileshe, Ronald Libuku, Zebron Shikambo of John Laing and Niza Muchiliba and Allan Mwaanga of Kanyama.
Testifying before judge Kenneth Mulife, Cornelius Chileshe, 21, a cafe attendent of John Laing compound narrated that sometime in December 2021 he received a phone call from his older brother Rodwell Chileshe asking him to accompany him for a camp meeting in Siavonga.
Chileshe said whilst in Siavonga they sneaked out of the camp site and went swimming at the harbour on Lake Kariba.
“We were the seven of us. Rodwell, Zebron, John, Castro, Mike, myself, and Remsey. Upon reaching the harbour, we found other members of our church. There were more than 50 members who were swimming around 15:00 to 16:00 hours. We started swimming and playing games. As we were swimming, a boat docked at the shore of the lake and it had three crew members on board,” Chileshe narrated.
“We started using it (fishing rig) as a flat surface to dive into the water. We were more than 30 of us who used it to dive into the water. While we were using the boat to dive into the water, the crew members saw us. We used the boat for about 20 minutes. One of the crew members who happens to be the sailor (Haajaya) went to buy something while the other two kept vigil over the vessel.”
He said upon returning the coxswain started the engine without saying a word and began sailing.
“When the sailor came back, he just started the engine of the boat without telling us anything. The other two crew members didn’t tell us anything. As the fishing rig was steered slowly into the deep waters, people started jumping off the boat into the water. The coxswain noticed that people were diving into the water but he still remained tight-lipped,” Chileshe recounted.
“When the fishing rig was anchored at some becon, myself and my late friends jumped off the boat approximately 20 metres in depth. We jumped off the boat because we were panic-stricken and we didn’t know where the boat was headed to. We struggled to swim because the boat had reached deep waters but I managed to swimming towards the shore and someone helped me and Castro out of the water.”
Chileshe said when he got to the shore he tried to look out for his older brother Rodwell but he realised that he was not among the survivors.
During cross examination the witness confirmed that his late friends including himself left the camp to go and swim in the lake without the permission of their leaders.
Chileshe admitted that he and fallen
friends dived into the water without the consent of the coxswain and his crew members.
And Shepard Chisulo, a resident of Kaleya compound in Siavonga district, confirmed having witnessed the departed youths diving into the lake due to mob hysteria.
“On January 1, 2022, I was off duty and I went to Kariba dam around 14:00 hours. When I reached at Lake Kariba I found alot of people swimming and I sat on the beach. At around 15:00 to 16:00 hours a big boat which is used to catch Kapenta known as Sunshine Two docked at the harbour where members of the SDA Church were swimming,” Chisulo said.
“It was anchored for about 20 minutes. The youths went on the fishing rig and started playing. They would do summersaults from the boat into the water. After 20 minutes, the coxswain (Haajaya) started the engine while people where still on the boat. Due to fear the youths started jumping into the water when the sailor steered the vessel in reverse.”
He said depiste noticing that the youths were jumping into the water due to fright, the sailor did not give them time to disembark as he continued steering towards the deep waters.
Chisulo said after the vessel left, the youths began doing a head count of themselves at the beach.
Trial continues.