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Mashudu Netsianda Senior Court Reporter
A BULAWAYO cross-border transport driver, who attempted to shoot a policeman,who wanted to arrest him for illegal possession of an unlicensed fire arm, smuggled from South Africa, was arrested after police returned fire and injured him. Sibukani Mguni, 29, of Tshabalala suburb, appeared before Regional magistrate, Sikhumbuzo Nyathi, yesterday, facing attempted murder charges and was remanded in custody to today, after pleading not guilty.

Prosecuting, Masimba Saruwaka said on February 4 this year, shortly after 9AM, the police officer, Tofara Sibanda, who is based at Western Commonage Police Station, was in the company of two other police constables when they were tipped off that Mguni was in possession of an unlicensed firearm.

“The police constables got information that Mguni was at Mnethi Shopping Centre in Nkulumane 4 and went to look for him,” said Saruwaka.
The court heard that on arrival at the shopping centre, the cops spotted Mguni sitting in a South African registered Toyota Quantum vehicle.
When he noticed that they were approaching his vehicle, Mguni drew the pistol and got out of the car.

“Sibanda fired a warning shot into the air, but Mguni fired a single shot at him and missed.
“Mguni then fled through a maize-field where he dumped the pistol, but the cops shot him on the upper left shoulder and right forearm and apprehended him at Nkulumane 4 High School, after he had sneaked into the school yard,” said Saruwaka.

The policemen recovered the CZ pistol, whose magazine was loaded with nine rounds of ammunition.
The pistol’s serial numbers had been erased. The used cartridge from Mguni’s pistol was recovered and sent for ballistic tests.

In his defence, through his lawyer, Jabulani Mhlanga, Mguni denied the charge, saying he was not armed at the time.
He said the case against him was cooked up by one of the arresting details, only identified as Nkomo, and his colleagues following a botched illegal diamond deal.
“Sometime in October 2013, I was approached by a police officer named Nkomo, who indicated to me that he was in possession of diamonds, which he intended to smuggle to South Africa.

“I then facilitated for Nkomo to smuggle the diamonds with the assistance of my friend, who is also a cross-border transport operator,” said Mguni.
He said later,he discovered that Nkomo never received payment for the diamonds from the South African buyer.
Mguni said the police officers did not identify themselves or fire a warning shot when they arrested him.