Four Harare men appeared in court on Tuesday facing attempted murder charges after they allegedly attacked a senior police detective and disarmed him of a police pistol, reported source.
The gang allegedly trailed Police CID Chief Inspector Alexander Jachi before stabbing him and disarming him of his service pistol on 30 September.
The suspects are Munyaradzi Chatonzwa (43), Sydney Rande (32), Mark Tatenda Chingombe (32), and Simbarashe Steven Ota (34).
The four are being charged with attempted murder, theft of a firearm and malicious damage to property.
All four suspects appeared before Harare Magistrate Donald Ndirowei who remanded them in custody for bail application.
According to court papers, Jachi, a CID Chief Inspector, was driving from Highfields to Chitungwiza when he noticed that he was being followed.
When he passed Mbuya Dorcas Hospital in Waterfalls, he slowed down intending to take a right turn but the suspects, who were in two different cars, blocked his way.
Jachi then drove towards the Harare City Centre with the two cars still trailing close behind him. Reads the court papers:
Sensing danger, the complainant then drove to Jongwe Corner, Waterfalls, Harare for safety with the suspects in hot pursuit.
Upon arrival at Jongwe Corner, Hatfield, Harare and as soon as the complainant parked his motor vehicle, Chatonzwa and one other accomplice disembarked from their VW Polo and charged towards the complainant.
The complainant then got out of his motor vehicle and Chatonzwa threatened him with unspecified action while charging towards him.
Jachi fired one warning shot into the air from a 9mm Police service Taurus pistol serial number ZRP 023 to scare away the accused persons, but Chatonzwa was not deterred, and he advanced further towards the complainant.
The complainant then shot Chatonzwa on his left leg to disable him, but he became more violent.
It is further alleged that Chatonzwa then struck Jachi once on the head with a blunt object before he fell down.
His accomplices allegedly joined in and stabbed Jachi in the head several times leaving him bleeding profusely.
The suspects allegedly struck Jachi on his legs and hands several times with an unknown object.
Bystanders tried to restrain the four suspects from further attacking Jachi to no avail.
After attacking Jachi, the four searched his pockets and took his wallet which had US$140 and his identification cards.
They also stole the police pistol, and Jachi’s car tyres before speeding off.
Source PindulaNews
