Ntabiso Ncube (43) of Lobengula West suburb in Bulawayo
sustained a fractured arm and lost a ring finger during a shootout with the
police in August 2021 at the home of a suspected illegal foreign currency
dealer.
Ncube allegedly shot Constable Gibson Tafara Madzimure (35)
in the head at Last Mukomawashe’s home in Luveve. Cst Madzimure was pronounced
dead on arrival at Mpilo Central Hospital.
The cop was part of a team that foiled an armed robbery by Ncube and his
colleague.
Ncube was arrested a day later at a house in Bulawayo’s
Lobengula West suburb. After shooting Cst Madzimure, Ncube fled the scene under
a hail of bullets from the police, returning fire and allegedly dropped a CZ
pistol at the scene.
A trail of blood snaking for some 100 metres from the crime
scene, shows that Ncube had been shot and was bleeding profusely. Somehow, he
evaded the police.
A crack police unit found him hiding in a house in
Lobengula West, which they raided following a tip off leading to his arrest.
Ncube appeared before Bulawayo High Court judge Justice Nokuthula Moyo facing a
murder charge in connection with the death of Cst Madzimure.
He was remanded in custody to July 31 for judgment.
Prosecuting, Mr Kudakwashe Jaravaza said on August 9, 2021,
at around 2pm, police received a tip off concerning a looming robbery, which
Ncube and his accomplice who is still at large, had planned to stage at
Mukomawashe’s home. A police crack team was set up which also included members
of the Police Special Tactics Troop (PSTT). The team, which included Cst
Madzimure, laid an ambush at Mukomawashe’s home.
“Constable Madzimure and his fellow police officers were
tasked to foil the planned robbery targeting Last Mukomawashe. The deceased had
laid ambush at Mukomawashe’s house in New Luveve,” said Mr Jaravaza.
The court heard that as Cst Madzimure and his colleagues
waited in ambush, Mukomawashe arrived and they immediately directed him to stay
indoors as he was the target of the planned robbery.
“After a while Cst Madzimure and one Loveson Timburwa heard
some noise emanating from Mukomawashe’s house where some police officers were
strategically positioned. Cst Madzimure and Timburwa went to the house so that
they could assist their colleagues,” said Mr Jaravaza.
The court heard that upon opening the gate to Mukomawashe’s
house intending to exit the property, Cst Madzimure and Timburwa came face to
face with Ncube and his accomplice standing in front of the gate and they were
wearing reflective dark clothes.
There was a flurry of gunshots from the two robbers towards
Cst Madzimure and Timburwa. The court heard that Timburwa quickly regained his
composure and noticed that his colleague had been shot. He fired back as he
took cover. After the shooting had subsided, Cst Madzimure’s colleagues
observed that he sustained gunshot wounds on the head. He was taken to Mpilo
Central Hospital where he was pronounced dead upon arrival.
According to the post mortem results the cause of death was
severe head injury and gunshot.
Ncube was found with injuries sustained during the shootout
including a fractured right arm and missing left ring finger.
He admitted that he was the one who had dropped the CZ
pistol that had 10 rounds of ammunition that was found at the crime scene.
During trial, it emerged that Mukomawashe’s estranged
girlfriend had allegedly hired Ncube and his accomplice to rob her boyfriend.
Mukomawashe was believed to be in possession of large sums of money. Upon
receiving the information, police sought the services of PSTT based at
Fairbridge Support Unit base in Bulawayo.
In his defence through his lawyer, Mr Tinashe Tashaya of
Sengweni Legal Practice, Ncube denied the charge, saying he was only passing at
the scene when he heard gunshots.
“I was coming from a beer drink and going to Luveve to meet
my girlfriend when I heard gunshots. As I was trying to flee, that is when I
was shot and I did not stop until I was hit by a speeding car while trying to
cross the road,” he said.
Ncube said he fell on the ground but managed to crawl to a
nearby house where he spent the night.
“The following morning, I woke up and proceeded to my house
in Lobengula. When I arrived home, I fell unconscious and days later I woke up
and found myself at Mpilo Central Hospital under police guard,” he argued.
Ncube also challenged the DNA results, saying there is no
proof that the recovered firearm had his blood.
“No pictures or videos were taken on the day to show that
the gun recovered had blood. I suspect that my blood was taken by police during
the time I was unconscious,” he said.
According to a forensic ballistic report, test cases fired
from Ncube’s gun matched its characteristics. Chronicle
0 comments:
Post a Comment