Bulawayo – A somber atmosphere enveloped the Bulawayo Magistrates Court yesterday as details emerged surrounding the tragic death of Detective Constable Cassandra Hove, a member of the elite all-female CID unit known as Team Lozikeyi.
Muradzikwa, stationed at Hillside Police Station, appeared before magistrate Maxwell Ncube. He was not asked to plead and has been remanded in custody until April 1st, with advice to apply for bail at the High Court. He is being represented by Mr Tinashe Tashaya of Sengweni Legal Services.
The state, represented by Ms Nkanyezi Xaba, outlined the events leading to Hove’s death. According to the prosecution, on the night of March 6th, Muradzikwa and Hove were part of a team investigating a robbery case in Pumula South. They had identified a suspect, 26-year-old Fikile Ncube, residing at house number 14804 Pumula South.
The court heard that Muradzikwa, armed with a CZ pistol, approached Ncube. “He cocked his firearm and shot at him hitting him once on the left elbow after which the bullet ricocheted and hit the deceased once on the left breast, resulting in her death,” the state alleged. The CZ pistol was recovered in his possession, the court heard.
Initial reports suggested that Hove and her colleagues were pursuing suspects involved in a series of armed robberies in the Habbek area of Pumula South suburb, at around 8.40pm.
Abias Hove, a brother to the late Cassandra and the family spokesperson, voiced their frustration outside the Bulawayo Magistrates Court. “We just learnt of this today (Tuesday), after seeing the developments on online papers and social media. Procedurally, I thought the police should inform us about this, but we are disappointed that they did not do so,” he said.
Mr Hove questioned the timeline of events and the actions of the police during the two weeks following his sister’s death. “It’s disenchanting that this man only confessed now, two weeks after the death of our sister. Where and what was he doing all this time? What were the police doing? There are a lot of questions that need to be answered,” he stated, reflecting the family’s deep-seated concerns.
He further added that it would have been prudent for the police to notify them so that all relatives could attend court to hear the series of events of that night.
The family believes that attending the court hearing would have provided them with crucial insights into the events of that fateful night. They are demanding answers and seeking closure as they grapple with the loss of their loved one. “We learned through social media that Muradzikwa would appear in court today. Consequently, some family members were unable to attend. We hope justice will be dispensed fairly,” Mr Hove said.
Meanwhile, Fikile Ncube, the alleged suspect shot by police, spent several days at Mpilo Central Hospital under police guard before being transferred to Khami Prison. His friends dispute that he is an armed robber. Instead, they say Ncube arrived in Bulawayo to help out with his mother who has been unwell for months and is receiving treatment from Prophet Ngwenya. When he was shot, the friends said, Ncube had gone to a place near Prophet Ngwenya’s residence called Emabhombeni where “bombing,” a ritual of smashing bottles filled with “prayer water” against rocks is performed.
