Munakopa murder trial kicks off at the High Court in Bulawayo, 4 years after his death

The trial of a Bulawayo man who was shot and killed by a police patrol unit that included the community’s neighbourhood watch committee four years ago has kicked off at the High Court of Zimbabwe in Bulawayo.

Four men: Bigson Nyoni and Langton Makonye who are police officers and Ross Johnston and Kyle Bennett, who are members of the neighbourhood patrol unit, have been summoned to the dock to stand trial in a case that has been classified as murder.

The incident occured in May 2023 after they opened fire on the deceased.

Brief circumstances of the case are that Paul Munakopa who was aged 34 at the time of his death in 2020, died from gunshot wounds sustained from an unfortunate case of misunderstanding between him and the patrol unit.

It was reported that Munakopa was parked at a secluded place near his girlfriend’s place of residence in Malindela when he was approached by the patrol unit. It was reported that Munakopa drove away resulting in a high-speed chase. He is said to have stopped, turned and crashed into the police vehicle, which resulted in a police shooting at the vehicle, injuring Munakopa in the process.

Munakopa was then ferried to hospital where he died as a result of the wounds.

The trial is anticipated to shed light on the events leading up to Munakopa’s tragic death and provide clarity on the actions taken by the officers involved.
The case has garnered significant attention from the community.
As the trial commences, the courtroom is expected to be filled with supporters and members of the public.
Charges have been read to the accused and they have all pleaded not guilty.
More to follow…