Gunshots at Zec Commissioner’s house

By Robin Muchetu

The shooting incident that happened at Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) 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. Sunday News