Zambian Man Kills Crocodile With Spear After Two Relatives Die in Four Days

A man in Zambia has drawn attention after killing a crocodile with a spear, saying he believed the reptile was responsible for the deaths of two young women from one family over a four-day span. Both women were attacked as they tried to fetch water from the Zambezi River. The first victim, 22-year-old Monde Pelekelo, was seized and dragged into the river by a crocodile. Four days later, another family member, 20-year-old Sikwezi Pelekelo, died in a similar attack at the same spot in Sokoto Village, Sioma District. At about 3 p.m. on Wednesday, October 7, 2026, Sikwezi had gone to fetch water from the river when the animal struck and pulled her beneath the water. In the first incident, Monde's body was recovered after one day. Sikwezi's body remained missing for hours before it was found floating. As the family mourned, local residents prepared to confront the crocodile they suspected had caused the deaths. Four residents set out by canoe at night to search for it. Mola Simona, one of them, said they waited until sunset before going onto the river. "We waited for sunset and went to look for the crocodile on a canoe. Just a few minutes later, we noticed that the reptile was heading towards the same direction where it had attacked people. That is how we followed it," Simona said. Simona said he used a spear to stab the reptile they suspected was behind the deaths. "The Department of National Parks and Wildlife were here but failed to find it. Now here I am. We killed it without a gun. If anyone ever doubted a spear, today they can see that it can kill a crocodile," he said. The residents later brought the animal onto land, where markings resembling the letters "MYJ" reportedly drew the attention of onlookers and fuelled speculation about their meaning. Some residents suspected witchcraft, while others dismissed the markings as coincidence. However, there is no evidence establishing that the crocodile killed by the residents was responsible for the deaths of Monde and Sikwezi.