Family Of Slain Sanyati Police Officer Criticises ZRP Over Inadequate Workplace Security

The family of Constable Courage Innocent Muchechesi, a police officer based at Sanyati Police Station, has criticised the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) for failing to provide adequate security at workplaces, following his murder by a suspected armed robber.

Muchechesi was killed in the early hours of Sunday while on night duty. The suspect, Vengesai Jabulani Mutasa, who had earlier escaped a confrontation with CID Homicide detectives, entered the charge office where Muchechesi was recording an assault statement and opened fire, killing him on the spot.

Mutasa is reportedly linked to the murder of Ruwa businessman Joseph Mutangadura in August. Police confirmed that the same firearm used to kill Mutangadura was used in Muchechesi’s shooting.

Prior to the murder, Mutasa had clashed with homicide officers at his home, shooting Detective Ngwenya before fleeing naked into the night.

He later appeared at the police station, where he shot Muchechesi inside the charge office. Mutasa claimed that CID officers had stolen US$1,000 from him.

His freedom was short-lived, however, after vigilant civilians tracked him down and assaulted him, prompting him to confess to the murder.

At Muchechesi’s burial in his home village near Hunduza Business Centre in Gutu, a family representative, Bernard Rusere, criticised the police for not ensuring adequate security at workplaces, describing the oversight as unacceptable. He said:

“The police station is a security zone and how is it possible that a criminal can just come, shoot a uniformed officer and walk away?.

“How do we justify his death when he was killed behind a Zimbabwe Republic Police station counter?

“This can only be done in the ghetto and villages, not at a police station, of all the places. It’s unacceptable.”

“We are aggrieved. No one can tell us to keep quiet. Even if Police Commissioner-General [Stephen Mutamba] was here, I was going to speak my mind. We are not happy at all. Hamundisundi (I won’t be silenced).”

“Of those who have been killed during work-related operations, how many were killed at a police station? It is only my late uncle Courage Innocent Muchechesi.”

Muchechesi was born in 1985 and attended Hunduza Primary School before going on to Chikwanda High School in Gutu South.

Muchechesi joined the police force in 2013, serving at Kadoma Police Station and in the Traffic Department before being transferred to Sanyati.

He is survived by his wife, Charity Siziba, and their two children, Pridemore (9) and Elsie (3).

More: NewsDay