Sunday News (Zimbabwe)

Gunshots at Zec Commission­er’s house

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THE shooting incident that happened at Zimbabwe Electoral Commission commission­er, Dr Qhubani Moyo’s house in Selborne Park in Bulawayo on Friday night is not politicall­y linked but just an attempted suicide.

A policeman who was guarding the house, a few hours after the Constituti­onal Court delivered a ruling on the court challenge by MDC Alliance presidenti­al candidate, Mr Nelson Chamisa, is battling for life at a local hospital after he allegedly shot himself under the chin at the house.

Although Bulawayo police could not be reached for a comment yesterday, Dr Moyo said he suspects the incident was an attempted suicide.

“The incident is not in any way related to politics. It looks to me like an attempted suicide because the behaviour of the police officer was irregular. Officers do not test their fire arms in residentia­l areas, they do so at shooting ranges,” he said.

He said although the public was alarmed by the timing of the incident, they must desist from making unfounded conclusion­s.

“There is no indication whatsoever that this was a politicall­y motivated incident, people must not read too much between the lines, it was a clear attempted suicide from my own view, not an attack on me following the announceme­nts of the judgment by the Constituti­onal Court,” said Dr Moyo.

He narrated how the events, that have, however, shaken his wife and children, unfolded on a night when he was in Harare.

Said Dr Moyo: “I am advised that a police officer from the Police Protection Unit who was stationed at my house in Selborne Park discharged his firearm, an FN rifle at about 9PM at night. Upon inquiry from my wife, he said he was testing his rifle for efficiency as he needed to be on high alert. He said they had been told that some rogue elements were likely to cause trouble by attacking the homes of commission­ers so he was checking for efficiency of his rifle.”

Dr Moyo said when the second shot was fired his wife was shaken by screams that followed and she went out to check again.

“My wife went outside following the loud screams and found the police officer lying in a pool of blood. He had shot himself under the chin and the bullet exited through his nose and damaged part of his head severely but did not kill him,” said Dr Moyo.

The family called police and an ambulance and he was taken to the United Bulawayo Hospitals. Dr Moyo said it was time for people to shift focus from politics to developmen­t now that the courts have settled the matter surroundin­g the 30 July harmonised elections. Dr Moyo said Zimbabwean­s need to be tolerant to each other and strive for the betterment of the lives.

 ?? ?? Police officers at the scene of an incident where it is suspected one of their own attempted suicide. The house belongs to Zimbabwe Electoral Commission­er, Dr Qhubani Moyo
Police officers at the scene of an incident where it is suspected one of their own attempted suicide. The house belongs to Zimbabwe Electoral Commission­er, Dr Qhubani Moyo

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