Police intensify hunt for suspects

By Jeffrey Muvundusi

Police Commissioner-General Godwin Matanga, yesterday spoke for the first time on the latest in a series of attempts on President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s life, declaring that the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) will leave no stone unturned as it hunts down those responsible for the bomb explosion at White City Stadium.

In his address at the Police Provincial Headquarters at Ross Camp, the top cop said the law enforcement agents were out in full force to ensure the suspects are brought to book.

“To the perpetrators of this callous incident, I say be warned that we will certainly sniff you out from wherever you are hiding and you shall face the full wrath of the law,” he thundered.

“To the rest of the public, I want to say that, as I speak, we have taken steps to heighten the level of our vigilance as well as enforcement agents to ensure your safety and security,” added Matanga.

His remarks come after Mnangagwa escaped unhurt when an explosive device was detonated as he, along with other VIPs, were leaving the podium at a Zanu PF star rally held in the city on June 23.

The 75-year-old Zanu PF strongman had just finished his address to thousands of party supporters who had packed the venue of his penultimate humiliation last year by former president Robert Mugabe and his then influential wife, Grace.

The explosive device, suspected to be a hand grenade — went off moments after Mnangagwa had just stepped off the stage — seriously injuring one of his deputies, Kembo Mohadi, senior Cabinet minister Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri, and a horde of other people.

Mohadi and Muchinguri-Kashiri were later airlifted to South Africa for specialist treatment.

Two security aides have since died from injuries sustained from the attack, which Mnangagwa has since blamed on the vanquished Generation 40 faction — which was involved in a war of attrition with him in the ruling party’s deadly succession and tribal wars.

Yesterday, Matanga said despite the commendable efforts the ZRP was putting to ensure peace, their spirits have been dampened by the “nefarious and horrendous act”.

He described the attack as an assassination attempt on Mnangagwa and other dignitaries.

“I therefore would like to take this opportunity to re-assure the nation and its entire citizenry that we are fully investigating this dastardly and wicked act, which has already (and) unnecessarily claimed two lives,” he said, while assuring the nation that the police will not rest in their quest to nab the suspects.

“As the ZRP, we will never rest until those behind this heinous act have been accounted for and have had their day in court. We will do whatever it takes within the confines of the law to ensure that this objective is met. At the least of overemphasising, I wish to reiterate that no stone will be left unturned,” he added.

Matanga added: “To this end, I would like to applaud the level of cooperation and support that the joint investigation team has so far received, culminating in the two suspects being accounted for.

“We really appreciate these collaborative efforts and continue to appeal for more information which can enable us to bring to book whoever had a hand in this nefarious act beyond the two suspects we have now,” he said.

Two suspects were picked up last Friday as the security agents intensified their search for leads into what has been widely viewed as an assassination attempt on the life of the president.

The suspects, Douglas Musekiwa and John Zulu, whose ages were not given, appeared at Western Commonage Magistrate Courts in camera on Saturday where the police successfully applied for a warrant of further detention.

Since then, the whereabouts of the two have remained unknown amid speculation that the suspects were released from custody.

Not even the police chief could confirm the rumours as he refused to take questions from journalists who had gathered at Ross Camp.  DailyNews