Police boss declares war on armed criminals: We will not hesitate to shoot to kill all

PEOPLE with unregistered firearms will now be deemed to have criminal intent, Commissioner General of Police, Godwin Matanga, has said.

He said this at the funeral service of Inspector Maxwell Hove, who was shot and killed by ex-CID detective, Jaison Muvhevhi, in Wedza last week.

“For the avoidance of doubt, as the Zimbabwe Republic Police, we will not stand akimbo while innocent citizens, let alone police officers, are being decimated by unruly malcontents.

“As police officers, we will not hesitate to shoot to kill all perpetrators of heinous crimes such as armed robbery, which are making society apprehensive.

“It is indeed disheartening to note that as a nation, we continue to lose police officers through grisly murders perpetrated by fellow citizens,” said Comm-Gen Matanga.

He said people should respect human life.

“Without doubt, it can never be right for any individual not to respect the sanctity of human life.

“Equally worrisome, is the fact that firearms continue to be used in the commission of a plethora of heinous crimes in the country.

“We have also gathered with concern that despite government’s amnesty on holders of unregistered firearms to surrender them, many such weapons are being recovered at crime scenes.”

He hailed Mozambican police for their cooperation in arresting the fugitive Muvhevhi, saying the gesture demonstrates the bilateral relationship between the two countries in combating crime.

Comm-Gen Matanga described the late Insp Hove as one of the illustrious police officers, who unfortunately lost his life in gruesome circumstances in the line of duty at Chitope village in Wedza.

Police details from various provinces joined the church service to bid farewell to Insp Hove, who was attested into the ZRP in 1999.

Insp Hove’s wife, Nelia, and children were among the mourners.

state media