Police Officer Jailed 20 Years For Killing Armed Robbery Suspect
Mitch Tafirenyika, a member of the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP), recently appeared before the High Court in Gweru facing serious murder charges.
According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), at the time of the incident, Tafirenyika was just 28 years old.
He was part of a specialised police unit assigned to apprehend two armed robbery suspects, Tichaona Muzhanduki and Doubt Munsaka, at Radway Farm.
Upon arriving at the farm, the team of officers divided into four groups to surround the residence strategically.
Tafirenyika, along with a colleague, was armed with service rifles. When the police knocked on the door and identified themselves, the now-deceased person opened the door.
As soon as the door was opened, Tafirenyika discharged his firearm multiple times, striking the deceased in the chest and arms, and killing him instantly.
Following the incident, Tafirenyika was charged for murder and found guilty. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison on Friday, 20 September.
In recent years, there have been serious allegations against police conducting extra-judicial executions, especially on suspected armed robbers during “indications”.
On Thursday, 19 September, President Emmerson Mnangagwa swore in the members of the Zimbabwe Independent Complaints Commission (ZICC) which will be responsible for investigating complaints of misconduct against members of the security services, including the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP), Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF), Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO), and Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service (ZPCS).
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