In an effort to encourage people with information about the disappearance of a three-year-old toddler, Gundo Ramugondo, the Mutale police have made a reward of R30 000 available.

The reward is for any information that would lead to the arrest and conviction of anybody involved in the disappearance of the boy.

Gundo Ramugondo of Tshamulungwi village in the Mutale area disappeared while in the care of his mother at a local river. It is alleged that Gundo left the mother, who was doing some washing at the other end of the river, with another boy and went to where people were loading thatched grass. It is alleged that the little boy started crying, where after the driver ordered that he be taken to where his mother was doing washing.

The little boy took him halfway and to within walking distance of where his mother was washing. The toddler never made it to his mother and has not been seen since.

Police and community members have looked everywhere, sometimes even sleeping by the river side but all their efforts have been in vain.

Mutale police spokesperson Insp Nyambeni said they had tried everything in the book but they were failing to find the child. “We feel that the reward will encourage those with information to come out and provide police with information. We are hopeful that we will have a breakthrough soon,” he said.

In another unrelated case, police are searching for 76-year-old Masindi Mulovhedzi of Luheni Mapuloni, also in the Mutale area.

Mulovhedzi, who is said to be mentally disturbed, went missing on February 5 this year. She is coffee coloured, short and was wearing a cream white shawl, black running shoes and a green, red and white-coloured hat.

Anyone with information can contact Insp Nyambeni at 015 967 8000 or 082 477 8494. Nyambeni said all information would be treated in the strictest confidence.