Online Reporter
Prosper Dembedza
Online Correspondent
A Borrowdale man, Ross Terrence Leaper, who discharged 11 rounds at police officers attempting to apprehend him for assaulting his neighbours, has had his bail request denied by Harare magistrate Mr Tapiwa Kuhudzai.
Mr Kuhudzai said Leaper was not a proper candidate for bail because he poses a serious threat to law enforcement agents and members of the public.
“When I went through the State outline, I could not believe that this could happen in real life, as it can only happen in movies,” he said.
“He fired 11 shots, intending to kill police officers, which is something that happens in a movie and I have only witnessed it in this case.”
Mr Kuhudzai ruled that Leaper’s release would pose a serious offence to the public who need to be protected.
The court heard that last week, a visibly drunk Leaper stabbed his neighbour, and shot himself in the arm while trying to cut off handcuffs with a grinder, and then opened fire on police officers in a brazen act of defiance.
According to court papers, the drama started on August 20 when a visibly intoxicated Leaper stormed his neighbour Ashleigh Smith’s home.
He demanded entry, but when he was denied, he turned violent.
Smith’s daughter quickly phoned her father, John Du Rand, who arrived only to find Leaper shirtless, armed with a hunting knife and completely out of control.
Leaper stabbed Du Rand in the hand and eye before Du Rand and his friend Brandon Ward wrestled him to the ground.
The J and P Security Reaction Team cuffed him and filed a report with the police. Leaper escaped and rushed back to his house.
When police and the security team tracked him down, they found him in his kitchen, trying to remove the handcuffs with a grinder.
He shot himself in the arm while attempting to break free.
When he saw the police and security guards he went berserk, storming into his bedroom, grabbing a gun and charging at them.
The officers and the guards fled for their lives, abandoning a Mahindra security vehicle.
Leaper fired 11 bullets into the car — five through the bonnet, three through the windscreen, one at the driver’s side window, and two through the rear screen.
Borrowdale residents ducked for cover as the gunfire rang out, turning the quiet suburb into what seemed a war zone.
Police later discovered that Leaper was sitting on a dangerous private armoury, all stashed recklessly under his bed instead of being secured in a gun cabinet.
The weapons included a .22 rifle, a 12 Bore shotgun, a Winchester rifle, a Ruger rifle, a CZ pistol and two air rifles.
Leaper was described as a “ticking time bomb” who endangered the entire community and attempted to kill police officers.
