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Dynamos fan death a hoax — Police

Sport
POLICE in Gweru have dismissed as false claims that a Dynamos supporter died of injuries sustained from an assault by suspected Highlanders supporters last Sunday.

POLICE in Gweru have dismissed as false claims that a Dynamos supporter died of injuries sustained from an assault by suspected Highlanders supporters last Sunday.

REPORT BY EPHRAIM SHOKO SPORTS CORRESPONDENT

The allegation stemmed from Highlanders’ league match against Hardbody at Ascot Stadium.

Since Tuesday, social fora and other media carried a story which claimed that a Dynamos fan had died of injuries.

After having their emotions whipped by the false report, Dynamos fans responded by saying they would not travel to Bulawayo for Sunday’s Mbada Diamonds Cup semi-final match against Caps United at Barbourfields.

Dynamos secretary Ray Kazembe also wrote to the Premier Soccer League yesterday basing his stance on the false reports, seeking security guarantees.

On Wednesday, the league had stated they would increase the number of police officials at the match.

Midlands acting police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Emmanuel Mahoko said: “This case of a Dynamos fan who was assaulted is untrue.

“We have conducted investigations with Mtapa Police Station, who are said to have dealt with the case and established that no such case was ever handled there.

“We have also spoken to Gweru Provincial Hospital, who, under normal circumstances notify us if they have any such cases and they professed ignorance of the case. It is therefore our conclusion that the story is baseless and unfounded.

“Let me set the record straight and state that the person quoted in the story as Gweru Police spokesperson does not exist, as we do not have such a post in the police force. We never received inquiries from any reporter and we were shocked to see a story with such unfounded claims,” he said.

Gweru Provincial Hospital superintendent Fabian Mashingiadze, where the unnamed Dynamos supporter is said to have been rushed to after the assault, also dismissed the claims as false.

“We have no such case here. Since Saturday we have not received any assault case of that nature. Our mortuary records indicate that there are no dead bodies who were taken there during the said period. That alone makes the story baseless,” he said.