Constable Courage Innocent Muchechesi, the police officer murdered by a Mutangadura murder suspect, was praised by colleagues and friends for his service during his burial in Gutu. The dedicated officer was shot and killed in the most shocking of circumstances: inside the very police station where he served.
The alleged assailant, Vengesai Jabulani Mutasa, a man wanted in connection with the murder of Ruwa businessman Joseph Mutangadura, turned the charge office into a crime scene, opening fire on the constable as he diligently recorded a statement. The weapon used was the same pistol that had ended Mutangadura’s life months prior, according to official police reports.
The chain of events that led to the tragedy is as chaotic as it is horrifying. Mutasa had earlier managed to evade detectives from the Homicide unit after a confrontation during which he shot Detective Ngwenya. Fleeing the scene unclothed, he later surfaced at the Sanyati Police Station.
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It is alleged that Mutasa claimed officers from the Criminal Investigation Department had stolen US$1,000 (approx. R18,000) from him. His liberty was fleeting, however, as he was later apprehended by vigilant, unarmed members of the public who subjected him to a severe beating, during which he reportedly confessed to the officer’s murder.
Police Officer Murdered By Mutangadura Murder Suspect Praised For His Service
In a cruel twist of fate, Constable Muchechesi’s final hour was spent in a lengthy telephone call with his younger brother, Pride. The ordinary nature of their last exchange has magnified the family’s anguish.
“It was around 10pm when he phoned me,” Pride recalled. “We talked about our family issues, future plans, among other things. Little did we know that it was the final communication between us.” Pride painted a picture of a beloved family man. “He was naturally loved and always in high spirits. I am deeply hurt as to why he was murdered. We need answers. Courage’s daughters, including his three-year-old, need justice for why their father was killed in cold blood.”
The sorrow felt by Constable Muchechesi’s relatives is powerfully mixed with fury. During the emotionally charged funeral service at Chese village in Gutu, family representative Bernard Rusere delivered a blistering critique of the police service’s security failings. He directly challenged the circumstances that led to his uncle’s death.
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“The police station is a security zone and how is it possible that a criminal can just come, shoot a uniformed officer and walk away?” he questioned. “This can only be done in the ghetto and villages, not at a police station, of all the places. It’s unacceptable.”
Rusere vowed that the family would not be silenced in their demand for accountability, stating,
“We are aggrieved. No one can tell us to keep quiet. Even if Police Commissioner-General [Stephen Mutamba] was here, I was going to speak my mind. We are not happy at all. Hamundisundi (I won’t be silenced).”
He emphasised the unique horror of the incident, noting,
“Of those that have been killed during work-related operations, how many were killed at a police station? It is only my late uncle Courage Innocent Muchechesi.”
Hundreds of mourners from across the country gathered to pay their respects to the officer, born in 1985, who had served since 2013. The national police force has acknowledged the loss. National police spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi conveyed, “The Commission-General has extended his deep condolences to his family, friends, and communities at large. He was a dedicated officer, who had a bright future in the force.” As Constable Muchechesi is laid to rest, survived by his wife Charity and two young children, a community and a nation are left questioning the safety of those sworn to protect them.
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