Cop Killed by Fellow Officer in Shocking Incident

There was drama at Nyaradzo Funeral Parlour in Bulawayo yesterday as the family of the late female detective, Constable Cassandra Hove, who died during a shooting incident with armed robbers in Pumula South last Thursday, demanded more answers and justice.

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