Zimpapers Logo

Sukulwenkosi Dube Plumtree Correspondent
A THIRD hut was torched in Dombodema, Bulilima amid revelations that police investigations indicate that seven shots were fired in the same district where a 22-year-old woman was shot dead while escaping from one of the two huts that were also set on fire.A gunman opened fire on a Bulilima family killing 22-year-old Gugulethu Ndlovu and wounding her grandmother, Thokozile Sola shortly after midnight on Wednesday.

The mystery shooter then torched two homesteads in Masendu Village before disappearing into the night.

Police recovered seven pistol bullet cartridges at the scene indicating that seven shots were fired.

The cartridges have been taken for inspection to ascertain their serial numbers and owners of the firearms.

It has also emerged that another homestead in Dombodema area in Bulilima was reported to have been torched on the same night.

This incident is suspected to be linked to the first one as the victims are reportedly related to those in Masendu area.

A senior police source said investigations were on-going and no arrests have been made so far.

“There is a recent report that another hut was torched in Dombodema area but there were no casualties. The people in this homestead are reported to be related to Thokozile Sola who was shot on the arm.

“This new report is being investigated but no arrests have been made so far. At the moment no suspects have been identified but investigations to catch the culprits are ongoing. What has emerged so far is that two people could have committed this offence,” said the police source.

He added that two people were spotted in a car that was seen roaming around the area on the night in question.

Two sets of footprints were also identified at the two homesteads which were torched, he added.

The source said they could not ascertain how many bullets hit Ndlovu as a post mortem report was still to be compiled.

Meanwhile, family members have come up with different versions to explain the shootings.

Sola’s sister Margaret Ndebele said her sister Thokozile has always been at loggerheads with her brother and son-in-law. She said family members suspected that one of them could have initiated the attack.

“We suspect that this was the work of a family member because the person who did this appears to have been on a mission to punish the family. Thokozile has been fighting her son-in-law over the issue of his children.

“Thokozile caused the separation of her daughter and her husband. They divorced and she remained with their three children after her daughter left for South Africa. Now her son-in-law has been demanding his children back but she has been refusing,” said Ndebele.

She said the shooting incident had caused a lot of tension between the family and Thokozile’s son-in-law who is reported to be a violent person.

She added that Thokozile’s elder brother Rex Nkomo, who works in South Africa, was constantly fighting with Sola. She said at one time he attempted to stab her with a knife.

Sola survived Wednesday’s attack after being shot on the right arm, but her granddaughter Ndlovu died leaving her two year-old-son behind.

Sola escaped from the burning hut with her five other grandchildren aged 12, 10, five, two and one and sought refuge at her sister’s homestead.

Matabeleland South police spokesperson, Inspector Philani Ndebele said he was out of the office when contacted for comment.