A 13-year-old boy has been hospitalized after being shot by an unknown person in the Mvera Support Battalion forest in Dowa, Malawi.
The boy’s uncle, Saidi Black told the truth online that the boy went to the forest to hunt birds with seven other children when they encountered a poacher.
Black said the poacher, who was hunting for meat, fired a shot at a monkey in a tree, but the bullet accidentally hit the boy’s leg.
Dr. Aubrey Mtondera, an orthopedic doctor at Dowa District Hospital, said the boy had suffered a severe leg injury and was in a lot of pain.
“A boy has multiple wounds and lacerations on his leg. We have referred him to Kamuzu Central Hospital in Lilongwe for further treatment,” said, Dr. Mtondera.
The identity of the poacher is unknown, and police are investigating the incident.
Mvera Support Battalion forest is a restricted area, and the incident has raised concerns about security in the area.
Dowa District Council has issued a statement urging people to refrain from engaging in illegal activities in the forest, and police are appealing for information that could lead to the arrest of the suspect.
