adminGeorge Maponga in Masvingo
A 34-year-old Bikita man has been arrested after he allegedly fatally stabbed a police officer with a home-made knife. He went on to stab a senior police officer and two detectives with the same knife as they battled to arrest him. Blessing Chimbirai of Ruzive village in Mukanganwi communal lands allegedly killed Constable Fidres Ruvinge, 33, of Bikita Police Station on Wednesday last week after he tried to arrest him for stock theft.
Two days later, Chimbirai, who was on the run, allegedly seriously injured the Officer-in-Charge at Bikita Police Station, Chief Inspector Fredrick Ngungu, whom he stabbed with a knife as he tried to arrest him.
He also allegedly stabbed and injured detectives Jonah Mwinde and Energy Badirai before they eventually overpowered him.
Chimbirai appeared before Bikita resident magistrate Bishard Chineka on Tuesday facing murder charges and resisting arrest.
He was not asked to plead.
Chineka remanded him in custody to October 21.
Prosecutor Samuel Magubeya told the court that on October 2, Constable Ruvinge trekked Chimbirai to Baradzanwa Business Centre intending to arrest him for stock theft.
The state alleges that Constable Ruvinge approached Chimbirai at one of the shops at the business centre and tried to arrest him.
Chimbirai pulled out a homemade knife and stabbed him on the left side of the chest.
Constable Ruvinge was airlifted to Harare where he died before admission to hospital.
Bikita police heard that the fugitive was hiding at the nearby Kufakunesu village near Nyika Growth Point.
Chief Inspector Ngungu led detectives to Kufakunesu village and found Chimbirai at his aunt’s homestead.
He stabbed Chief Inspector Ngungu on the arm before turning the knife on the detectives that had accompanied him.
He was later arrested while Chief Inspector Ngungu and the detectives were taken to Silveira Mission Hospital.
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