Home-seeker Shoots Owner After Being Told There's No Room To Rent
Bulawayo police are investigating an attempted murder case after a man was shot in the stomach by someone seeking a room to rent in Pumula.
The victim, Nhlanhla Nkomo, 45, had informed the visitor that there was no vacant room available.
According to Bulawayo police spokesperson Inspector Abednico Ncube, the incident occurred around 7 pm on Tuesday. Ncube said in a statement:
The accused asked the complainant for a room and the complainant told him there was no room to rent. The accused person then asked the complainant if he knew where he can get a room to rent and the complainant replied him that he had no idea.
The accused person was infuriated and pulled out a pistol from his trousers pocket, pointed at the complainant stomach, and fired one round and shot the complainant once the right side of the stomach.
The complainant screamed for help and the accused person fled away into the darkness.
The victim sustained a stomach bruise, and a spent 7.6mm cartridge was found at the scene by the police.
Firearm crimes, including armed robberies and violent attacks, became a significant concern in Zimbabwe since 2018. Firearms are often smuggled illegally, leading to inconsistent implementation and enforcement of gun laws. The government last year initiated programs to encourage the voluntary surrender of illegal firearms.
While about 450 firearms were voluntarily surrendered, cases of crimes involving firearms are still high which means more guns are still in the wrong hands.
