A member of the police Support Unit who two months ago reportedly lost his AK-47 rifle to a bar patron after causing mayhem at a Ruwa bar, is today expected to stand trial on an attempted murder charge.
Gift Mangiza (25) is alleged to have attempted to shoot a reveller after firing two shots following an altercation over a snooker token.
One of the fired bullets grazed the floor while the other scratched the wall as Mangiza wrestled for the gun with the complainant, Edward Chinyadza.
Mangiza was initially remanded in custody by regional magistrate Clever Tsikwa, but was later released on $50 bail by High Court judge Justice Susan Mavangira.
According to the State papers, on June 25 this year at around 11pm, Chinyadza went to Splash Sports Bar at Better Days Shopping Centre in Ruwa for a drink as well as to play a game of snooker.
It is alleged that Mangiza, who appeared drunk, was in the snooker room and he started quarrelling with one Tawanda Nyandoro over a snooker token tag at which stage Chinyadza intervened to salvage the situation.
Chinyadza then ordered Mangiza out of the snooker room and he complied and later Nyandoro went home. The State alleges that Mangiza came back after about 20 minutes armed with an AK-47 rifle looking for Nyandoro, but failed to locate him.
He allegedly stood at the entrance of the bar and pointed the gun at Chinyadza accusing him of taking sides in the previous argument.
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At that point, the State alleges, Chinyadza stood up, grabbed the barrel of the gun and pushed it downwards and Mangiza pulled the trigger and fired one shot, which hit the floor while another hit the wall.
The State alleges that Chinyadza managed to disarm Mangiza and handed the rifle to his friend, one Kudzayi Mhoya, who ran away with the gun for almost 100 metres before throwing it inside the pre-cast wall securing the bar.
Mangiza took his weapon and left the scene, but was arrested on July 7 at Chikurubi Support Unit Camp after Chinyadza reported him to police.
