BULAWAYO- A police detective who died in a confrontation with armed robbers in Bulawayo’s Pumula South suburb on Thursday night was killed by a police bullet, her grieving family said on Sunday.
Mum-of-four Detective Constable Cassandra Hove, 37, was shot once on her left breast and the bullet remained lodged in her body, according to a postmortem document seen by ZimLive.
She was rushed to Flex Clinic in Lobengula where she was pronounced dead on arrival just before 9PM.
It was earlier thought that she was shot by the armed robbers she was pursuing.
Now her grieving family has been informed by police chiefs that she in fact died from friendly fire.
Family spokesman Ryan Gambinga said in a statement: “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.”
Police Commissioner General Stephen Mutamba, in a statement issued just hours after Hove’s death, said “comprehensive investigations are underway with a view to establishing what exactly transpired.”
Hove was actively pursuing a career away from the police at the time of her death after graduating with a degree in forensic accounting.
She was a member of the all-female Lozikeyi team of detectives based at Bulawayo Central Police Station.
