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Abel Zhakata
Senior Reporter
A MARRIED police constable is on the run after he pumped four bullets into his girlfriend using his service pistol following a misunderstanding on Monday night last week in Chipinge.
The chilling incident left Pangani villagers under Chief Mutema shell-shocked.
National police spokesperson, Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the incident.
He said Bridges Shingai Magazi (30) is battling for life at Birchenough Bridge Hospital following the attack.
Police are now looking for Constable Freeman Sithole (38) who disappeared after committing the crime.
Sithole is stationed at Support Unit, Mike Troop in Buchwa.
“No one is above the law. We are hunting down the suspect. The long arm of the law will certainly catch up with him,” he said.
Assistant Commissioner Nyathi said the suspect lived in the same village with the complainant who was his girlfriend and they had a long standing love affair.
It is alleged that on December 27, Sithole visited his girlfriend at her homestead.
A misunderstanding ensued between them as Magazi told Sithole that she wanted to end their relationship.
This did not go down well with Sithole who assaulted Magazi.
The complainant ran out of the house and Sithole produced a service Star Pistol from his pocket and shot Magazi once on the left hand, twice above the knee and once in the chest.
Magazi’s 13-year-old sister who was sleeping in the next room was awakened by the gunshots and went out to investigate.
She discovered that Sithole had shot her sister and rushed to inform Sithole’s wife, Lucia Pachiwi about the incident.
Villagers quickly gathered at the scene and Sithole tried to shoot himself, but he failed as the firearm developed a fault.
He was subsequently disarmed.
However, Sithole escaped and ran towards a nearby mountain.
Police attended the scene and recovered the Star Pistol, two spent cartridges and three live rounds.
Magazi was rushed to Birchenough Bridge Hospital where she is admitted and her condition is critical.
Online Reporter