The mother of the late Wedza police station Officer in Charge Inspector Maxwell Hove, who was allegedly shot dead by Jaison Muvevi, has blamed her son’s death on obsolete Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) equipment.
Hove (43), as well as apostolic sect member Cripsen Kanerusine (62) and Munashe Mujani (20) —a shop attendant, were shot dead by Muvevi in Wedza on January 13.
A video circulating on social media shows Inspector Hove’s emotional mother telling senior ZRP officials at the late top cop’s burial in Chinda Village in Mberengwa, that the outdated police vehicle and gun involved in the frantic shooting incident which also left another officer seriously injured, is to blame for her son’s death.
Said the mother:
I am a bereaved mother whose heart bleeds for her son’s death. Forgive me, but you have to listen to me, I am very hurt because my son could not escape from the police vehicle he was in because its door could not open.
How is it possible that the door of a police station vehicle failed to open? Even if you were in my shoes, you would be hurt under such circumstances as a mother. Maybe if the door of the vehicle had opened, the story could have been different.
If that vehicle had doors expected of a police vehicle, maybe my son would be alive.
Secondly, I was told the gun he was using failed to discharge. The ZRP needs state of the art firearms not those of the Ian Smith era that are outdated. Provided modern weapons, our police officers will feel safe in the conduct of their duties.
Muvevi is currently in police custody and appeared in court today facing three counts of murder and attempted murder.