Raymond Mkhomaza is currently admitted at United Bulawayo
Hospital (UBH) where he is receiving treatment.
When CITE visited him on Friday, he was still in pain as he
said the bullet was still lodged inside his body.
“The incident occurred on Sunday around 5am. We were
drinking at the police canteen, we usually drink there as villagers and
commotion erupted and we started fighting as patrons. The police on duty came
carrying a gun and headed straight to me as I was also fighting and in that
commotion he pushed me, making me turn and he shot me,” Mkhomaza alleged.
The victim said he was shot on his left shoulder and after
the incident the police officer left.
“I went to the charge office to report that I have been
shot. I have spent six days here and the bullet is still inside. I still have
to go for an X-ray as the doctor said the bullet missed my heart, and I have a
lot of air inside,” Mkhomaza said.
Contacted for a comment, Matabeleland North Provincial
Police Spokesperson Inspector Glory Banda confirmed the incident but said
Mkhomaza was part of a group that had been carrying “offensive weapons” and
posed a threat.
“It happened in Mbembesi of course, I know the story. It’s
been a while since it happened, it is not a new thing. What happened was that
these guys were found in the early morning hours at Mbembesi police canteen,
they were holding some knobkerries and other offensive weapons and whatever
they were carrying suggested that they were up to some evil because there is a
history of theft at the canteen,” said Insp. Banda.
“When they were asked what they were doing, they said ‘we
are not afraid of your gun’ and started advancing towards the policeman.”
Insp. Banda said the policeman fired two warning shots but
the men continued advancing towards him.
“The policeman had no option, then the other man was shot
in the shoulder,” said Insp. Banda, adding that after the incident, all the men
fled.
“The next morning, the man who was shot in the shoulder
showed up in the police station, saying he sustained an injury and was
arrested.”
Insp. Banda
dismissed that Mkhomaza was drinking with other patrons.
“That was not the
time to drink and drinking has nothing to do with carrying knobkerries. You
don’t need a knobkerrie to drink, you only need your money. You don’t need
weapons if you are about to drink, and if you are drinking it doesn’t mean you
advance towards the policeman and try to attack him. That incident has nothing
to do with drinking,” he said.
Insp. Banda said
whenever criminals are confronted by armed police, they must not try to disarm
them. CITE
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