A POLICE officer from Hillside in Bulawayo has been arrested for fatally shooting a gold panner.
BY NIZBERT MOYO
Norbert Mapope (40), who is facing murder charges, appeared before magistrate Sithembiso Ncube on Tuesday.
He was not asked to plead and was granted $100 bail. The case was remanded to September 13.
He was told to continue residing at his given address until the matter is finalised and to report at Bulawayo Central Police Station twice a week.
The court heard that on May 26, 2018, in Kensington, Mapope was on an operation when a group of illegal gold panners charged towards him, brandishing axes, shovels and machetes.
Mapope, who was armed with a rifle, gave a verbal warning and then fired three warning shots, but the group continued charging towards him until he shot Tinashe Mufema once on his lower backbone.
Mufema was taken to United Bulawayo Hospital for treatment where he later died.
