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The cattle buyer was later arrested about six hours after the shooting at Gwelutshena in Nkayi District.
The officer commanding police in Matabeleland North Senior Assistant Commissioner Norman Sibanda confirmed the incident last night.
“I can confirm the shooting but I do not have full details at hand. The suspect was arrested at Gwelutshena later during the day,” said Asst Comm Sibanda.
Sources said the buyer asked for a police escort at Jotsholo Police Station at about 10 am, saying he was going to buy cattle at Tshongogwe.
“He owns a shop at the business centre. We heard that the woman he shot was his girlfriend. The man was very angry and accused the woman of looting money from the store to spend with other men,” said a villager.
Another source close to investigations said the buyer shot the woman on the chest at point blank range and turned the gun on the policeman when he tried to intervene.
“I think this man did not want a police escort to buy cattle. It might have been a deliberate ploy on his part to ensure police were present when he killed the woman. When the policeman reacted to the shooting, the man also shot him in the chest before fleeing from the shop in a white Ford Bantam,” said the source who identified the police officer only as Maperuse.
Meanwhile, in an unrelated incident, a teenager fatally struck his cousin with a log and left him by the roadside in a bushy area in Inyathi after a drunken brawl.
Police spokesperson for Matabeleland North province, Inspector Billie Dube confirmed the incident which happened at Muclenuck Business Centre last Wednesday.
“We are investigating a murder case that occurred at Muclenuck resettlement area in Inyathi on Wednesday last week.
Lovemore Dube (19) and his cousin Mqondisi Ncube (22) both from Pinch Mine, quarrelled during a beer drink,” said Insp Dube.
He said the two did not resolve their dispute and Ncube decided to leave the place.
“The suspect, who is now in police custody, allegedly followed the cousin and found him along the path.
“When he caught up with him, Ncube picked a log and hit Dube saying that Dube had followed him because he wanted to attack him. Dube disarmed Ncube and struck him with the log. He left him lying by the roadside and went home,” said Insp Dube.
He said on Thursday morning a villager who was walking along the path found Ncube.
“He informed another villager and they rushed to the scene and observed that Ncube was dead. The two saw Dube’s footprints and tracked him down,” he said.
“A report was made to Inyathi Police Station and the suspect was arrested. The body was taken to Inyathi Hospital mortuary awaiting post-mortem,” said Insp Dube.
He urged people to avoid solving their disputes violently.
Online Reporter