A funeral
service scheduled for 10AM at Nyaradzo was abruptly postponed due to heightened
emotions among mourners and close family members, who confronted police
officers present.
Tension
escalated as some close family members insulted the officers, accusing them of
withholding the truth regarding their relative’s death.
They claimed
that Hove was not killed by the robbers but by one of her colleagues and
demanded to know whether this was an accident or deliberate.
According to
the police, Hove sustained gunshot wounds to her upper limbs during the
exchange of fire with robbers at around 8:40PM and was rushed to a nearby
private clinic, where she was pronounced dead upon arrival.
The family also
demanded to know the identities of the officers deployed in the Pumula South
raid and the individual who authorised Hove’s post-mortem, saying they were not
involved in the process and were shocked to learn that someone else had signed
documents at the hospital as Hove’s next of kin.
“There is
something suspicious about all this. Why did the police rush to conduct a
post-mortem without our consent or knowledge?” fumed one female family member.
“Why were they
collecting bereavement monies without our knowledge? Where did that money go?
“Also, why did
the police notify us about her death hours after she had been killed? They also
demanded her mobile phones and title deeds to the house for reasons best known
to them,” she blasted
The family
stated that they were not satisfied with the version of events given by the
police and vowed to pursue the matter until the culprits were brought to
justice.
“If our
concerns are not addressed, then they might as well bury her themselves—after
all, she belonged to the State. The police must be held accountable, and we
will not stop questioning them until we are satisfied,” they said.
A family
spokesperson, Mr Ryan Gambinga, said they were deeply shocked and troubled by
the tragic circumstances surrounding Hove’s death.
“While we
initially received conflicting reports, our recent meeting with ZRP Bulawayo
has confirmed that a fellow police officer, and not armed robbers, was involved
in this devastating incident,” he said.
Mr Gambinga
said the family would only find peace if a thorough investigation was conducted
and the full truth was revealed to bring the matter to finality.
“This
revelation raises profound questions and intensifies our grief. We are
committed to uncovering the complete truth and ensuring that justice is
served,” he said.
“As we mourn
the loss of our beloved daughter, we demand a thorough and transparent
investigation,” added Mr Gambinga.
Relatives and
mourners at a funeral service for the late female detective, Constable
Cassandra Hove in Bulawayo yesterday
The family
wrangled with the officers present until around 3PM, when tensions cooled
following a closed-door meeting with some unidentified police “bosses”.
“We decided to
proceed with the service after meeting with the police. They assured us that
they would launch a full investigation into the matter. They gave us their
highest assurance, and as a family, we decided to go ahead with the
proceedings,” said Mr Gambinga.
“It is now up
to them as the police to uphold their end of the bargain.”
Mr Gambinga
said the family was disappointed that the individuals at the centre of the
matter failed to present themselves to the family as they sought closure.
“It would have
been prudent for them to come and speak with us. After all, it is customary in
many traditions to do so. We have questions that need to be answered,” he said.
Mr Gambinga
revealed that the late Hove had recently secured a scholarship to Russia to
pursue a degree in forensic investigations.
“We had sorted
all her paperwork and were in the process of securing funds. This is truly a
tragedy,” he said.
The emotional
send-off saw many of her colleagues in attendance, but none from the Criminal
Investigations Department’s crack Homicide Unit, named “Lozikeyi”, were
present.
Bulawayo
province acting police spokesperson, Assistant Inspector Nomalanga Msebele,
referred all questions to national police spokesperson Commissioner Paul
Nyathi, who was unavailable for comment.
Hove is
survived by four children. She will be buried at her rural home in Mberengwa today. Chronicle
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