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'State House' gunshots update: G40 funder arrested
15 Jan 2016 at 05:55hrs | Views
SOUTH Africa - based Zimbabwean businessman, Agrippa Masiyakurima was briefly arrested in Harare over the weekend after he allegedly fired gunshots following an altercation near the country's military headquarters - KGVI Barracks.
Masiyakurima runs a civil engineering firm, Bopela Group of Companies, which provides back-up service to a number of telecommunications companies.
The site is a few hundred metres from President Robert Mugabe's official residence, State House, and adjacent to KGVI Barracks.
Police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba confirmed the incident and said police were investigating the matter.
"The incident occurred on January 10 along Borrowdale Road near Airforce Headquarters. There was a misunderstanding between Agrippa Masiyakurima and municipal police and a gun was discharged into the air. The case has since been referred to CID Homicide for further investigations," Charamba said.
Bulawayo24.com first broke the story last week through whatsapp chats sent in by a witness (Gun shots near Mugabe's State House - WhatsApp update).
Informed sources said the shoot-out occurred at a site along Borrowdale Road after Masiyakurima, popularly known as Bopela, was invited to resolve a confrontation between his workers and Harare City Council officials.
The businessman has reportedly won tenders to rehabilitate NetOne's infrastructure.
"Bopela was having breakfast with his friend (identified only as Choto) at Sam Levy's Village when he received the distress call from his workers who wanted to erect a mobile phone network booster near KGVI," the source said.
"The two teamed up to try and resolve the issue, but arrived to see fists flying. Bopela then discharged his gun five times into the air, drawing the attention of soldiers manning the gate to Airforce headquarters.
"The soldiers subdued Bopela and about 16 of his workers as well as the council officials before police from the riot unit arrived. The group was bundled into a police truck, but later released under unclear circumstances," said an eyewitness, who claimed traffic was blocked for some time during the altercation
Masiyakurima runs a civil engineering firm, Bopela Group of Companies, which provides back-up service to a number of telecommunications companies.
The site is a few hundred metres from President Robert Mugabe's official residence, State House, and adjacent to KGVI Barracks.
Police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba confirmed the incident and said police were investigating the matter.
"The incident occurred on January 10 along Borrowdale Road near Airforce Headquarters. There was a misunderstanding between Agrippa Masiyakurima and municipal police and a gun was discharged into the air. The case has since been referred to CID Homicide for further investigations," Charamba said.
Informed sources said the shoot-out occurred at a site along Borrowdale Road after Masiyakurima, popularly known as Bopela, was invited to resolve a confrontation between his workers and Harare City Council officials.
The businessman has reportedly won tenders to rehabilitate NetOne's infrastructure.
"Bopela was having breakfast with his friend (identified only as Choto) at Sam Levy's Village when he received the distress call from his workers who wanted to erect a mobile phone network booster near KGVI," the source said.
"The two teamed up to try and resolve the issue, but arrived to see fists flying. Bopela then discharged his gun five times into the air, drawing the attention of soldiers manning the gate to Airforce headquarters.
"The soldiers subdued Bopela and about 16 of his workers as well as the council officials before police from the riot unit arrived. The group was bundled into a police truck, but later released under unclear circumstances," said an eyewitness, who claimed traffic was blocked for some time during the altercation
Source - NewsDay
