adminAbel Zhakata and Luthando Mapepa
TWO police officers were shot dead on Tuesday morning after a trigger-happy suspected poacher went on the offensive and sprayed bullets from an AK 47 rifle during a police raid at a hide-out in Chipinge’s Naffaton Farm. The marauding suspect who vanished soon after the cold-blooded incident also gunned down his alleged accomplice who had been arrested.
The slain cops – Sergeants Wengai Mazhara (39) and Robert Shumba (35) – were stationed at Chipinge Urban as police internal security and intelligence officers. They, together with Constable Tinashe Madenga who survived the gunfire, were assigned to carry out investigations after receiving a tip-off that suspected armed poachers were seen at night in Mwandifura Village which is located close to Chipangayi Safari Game Reserve.
The trio visited one Chaita Simango’s homestead who was fingered as having firearms and harbouring poachers at his house. After some interrogations the police apprehended Simango. They handcuffed him and ordered him to accompany them into his house to conduct a house search.
Little did they know that the unknown armed poacher was following their conversation from inside and was waiting to pounce on them as soon as they entered. As Simango led the officers into the house, the suspect suddenly opened fire.
He gunned down Simango and the two sergeants. Constable Madenga took to his heels and reported the attack. In no time a police reaction team attended the scene. As police conducted investigations into the killings, Simango’s wife was immediately picked up for questioning.
National police spokesperson, Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba, appealed to anyone with information that might lead to the arrest of the fugitive suspect to conduct the nearest police station or call on the national hotline 04-703631.
In an interview with The Manica Post soon after the incident, the deceased Simango’s mother-in-law Sabhina Masoya absolved her daughter, Judith Makochoredze (19), saying her husband had introduced the assailant to her as his brother. Masoya said her daughter and her husband were not in good books as she spent most of the time away from Simango’s home.
“Since the arrival of this culprit my daughter and I used to retire to bed at my place and we are not aware of what they were doing during the night,” she said.
Online Reporter