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.