A Criminal Investigations Department (CID) officer who tragically lost her life during a confrontation with armed robbers in Bulawayo’s Pumula South suburb on Thursday night was, in fact, killed by a police bullet, it has emerged.
Detective Constable Cassandra Hove, 37, a mother of four, sustained a single gunshot wound to her left breast, with the bullet remaining lodged in her body.
She was swiftly transported to Flex Clinic in Lobengula, where she was pronounced dead on arrival just before 9 PM.
Initially, it was believed that she had been shot by the armed robbers she was pursuing. However, family spokesman Ryan Gambinga later revealed that police officials had informed them that her death was the result of friendly fire. In a statement, Gambinga said:
The family is deeply shocked and troubled by the tragic circumstances surrounding her 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 event.
This revelation raises profound questions and intensifies our grief. We are committed to uncovering the complete truth and ensuring that justice is served.
As we mourn the loss of our beloved daughter, we demand a thorough and transparent investigation.
In a statement issued just hours after Hove’s death, Police said: “comprehensive investigations are underway with a view to establishing what exactly transpired.”
At the time of her death, Hove was pursuing a career outside the police force after earning a degree in forensic accounting.
She was also a proud member of the all-female Lozikeyi team of detectives, based at Bulawayo Central Police Station.
The unit, named after Queen Lozikeyi Dlodlo—one of King Lobengula’s senior wives—honours her legacy as a key figure in organising resistance against British colonial forces during the 1896 Anglo-Ndebele War.
Queen Lozikeyi was instrumental in preparing war medicines and rallying the Ndebele regiments in their fight for independence.
More: ZimLive