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Rutendo Nyeve, Sunday News Reporter
NINE Bulawayo City Council security officers were on Tuesday (today) granted $50 000 bail each when they appeared in court to answer to two counts of attempted murder.
The security details appeared before Bulawayo regional magistrate Mr Joseph Mabiza after their arrest on 23 February on charges of allegedly shooting vendors along 5th Avenue in the Central Business District.
They are charged with two counts of attempted murder as defined in section 189 of the Criminal Law [Codification and Reform] Act Chapter 9:23.
Prosecutor Ms Concilia Ncube told the court that on 23 February 2023 and at corner 5th Avenue and Jason Moyo Street, Bulawayo at around 7am, the accused persons were on duty dispersing all the illegal vendors along 5th Avenue from Lobengula Street to Jason Moyo, Bulawayo.
It is the State case that in the process, they came across a group of people who were chanting protest songs against Bulawayo City Council security details.
The court heard that the accused persons who were armed with shotguns fired 41 shots indiscriminately towards the protesting group and as a result, Concilia Ndlovu was shot on the left hand and sustained an injury and there is a lodged foreign object which is yet to be extracted.
According to court papers, Ndlovu was not part of the group as she was carrying out her normal business.
Accused persons, the court was told, also shot Prosper Munemo on the groin and he sustained several injuries. Munemo according to the State was also not part of the group of vendors.
It was the State case that the firearms which were used were seized from Ndumiso Ndlovu who is the acting senior Bulawayo City Council security and traffic officer while the spent cartridges were recovered from the scene.
Ms Ncube opposed bail saying the accused persons were likely to abscond as they were facing a third schedule offence.
The accused were represented by Mr Herbert Chimbetete and Maqhawe Mpofu from Coghlan and Welsh Law Chambers. @nyeve14
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