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Police boss transferred over ‘Chamisa shooting’

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OFFICER-IN-CHARGE at Marondera Central Police Station, Chief Inspector Emson Jokonya, who allegedly fired shots during opposition MDC leader Nelson Chamisa’s visit to the farming town at the weekend, has been transferred over the incident.

BY JAIROS SAUNYAMA

OFFICER-IN-CHARGE at Marondera Central Police Station, Chief Inspector Emson Jokonya, who allegedly fired shots during opposition MDC leader Nelson Chamisa’s visit to the farming town at the weekend, has been transferred over the incident.

Jokonya will now head Epworth Police Station and will be replaced by one Chief Inspector Mangwende.

According to top police sources, a signal was sent across all police stations informing of Jokonya’s transfer together with other police officers in different provinces.

“A signal is here, Jokonya has been transferred to Epworth and this was triggered by the weekend skirmishes that angered the authorities. He is not the only police officer who was transferred but there are others too. However, we are aware that he is the main target following the clash with Chamisa,” said the police source.

But national police spokesperson, Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said he was not aware of Jokonya’s alleged transfer.

Chamisa claims that he survived death by a whisker after police officers fired live shots during his tree-planting programme at Dombotombo Clinic on Sunday. A number of people were injured after police teargassed the medical centre as they tried to bar Chamisa from leading the programme.

Police had earlier barricaded Cherutombo Primary School, the initial venue for Chamisa’s tree-planting event before the opposition party moved to the council-owned Dombotombo Clinic.

However, police rubbished claims that they fired live shots, saying they only used teargas to disperse the crowd after a defiant Chamisa had called for an unsanctioned rally.

Activists have been circulating a picture of Jokonya and his mobile number on various social media groups accusing the top cop of firing live ammunition at Chamisa.

Yesterday, the police boss could not be reached for comment and had exited all WhatsApp groups in Marondera.