adminFreedom Mupanedemo Midlands Correspondent
SIMBARASHE Muchengeti, the suspected armed robber, who allegedly shot himself while in detention at Shurugwi Police Station, surrendered himself to the police unarmed, according to a relative. Three miners in Shurugwi were accusing Muchengeti of stealing their gold, the relative said. The relative said Muchengeti was accompanied by some of the complainants.
“What boggles the mind is that Muchengeti visited the police station on his own volition after three miners accused him of stealing their gold. He told the three that if they thought he had actually stolen their gold they should go to the police. Muchengeti volunteered to walk to the police station with his accusers. We were surprised to hear that he shot himself while in police custody,” said the relative who requested not to be named.
The relative said the death of Muchengeti left them in a state of shock and they strongly suspect foul play.
The relative said as a family, they were failing to comprehend how Muchengeti shot himself.
Muchengeti will be buried today in the chrome mining town of Shurugwi.
The relative said they asked for a detailed explanation from the police but they were evasive.
Said the relative: “We pleaded with the police to furnish us with details surrounding the death of our relative but up to now we are still in the dark. The only information availed to us is that he shot himself but we are not buying that. Muchengeti was not armed in the first place,”
National Police spokesperson, Chief Superintendent Paul Nyathi, refused to shed more light on the issue.
He referred this reporter to the Midlands province police spokesperson, Inspector Joel Goko who, however, said he was in a meeting.
Several other attempts to contact Insp Goko proved futile as he did not answer his phone.
Meanwhile, Chronicle’s Midlands Bureau switchboard was yesterday inundated by calls from members of the public who queried the circumstances surrounding the death of Muchengeti.
“You should do further investigations on this story. Do you want us to believe that this person shot himself when the pictures you published in the same paper clearly show that the person was handcuffed? Besides, the now deceased was barefooted meaning the police had conducted a search on him,” said one of the newspaper readers who only identified himself as Muchina.
A man who called and declined to be named said: “You wrote a very disturbing story but can you please probe further and find out what really transpired in this unfortunate incident. Police should explain further lest we may begin to live in fear.”
Muchengeti was arrested by police in Shurugwi on Thursday evening on allegations of having committed a spate of armed robberies.
Upon arrival at the police station, Muchengeti, who was in handcuffs reportedly asked to go to the toilet and is said to have later drawn a pistol which was in his pocket and shot himself in the abdomen.
Online Reporter