Killer cop tells court he intentionally killed wife

SERGEANT Tichaona Chirinhe, who shot and killed his wife in Chitungwiza with a service pistol following a suspected domestic dispute, denied intentionally shooting her, describing the incident as very unfortunate.

Chirinhe, in his warned and cautioned statement read in court, said his service pistol accidentally discharged while he was cleaning it with the bullet hitting his wife, Juliana Chirinhe, in the abdomen. He said he had no reason of killing his wife of 15 years.

"I did not intentionally kill my wife. What happened was very unfortunate," he said in the statement.

He also said in the warned and cautioned statement that the pistol discharged while he was cleaning it. Harare Magistrate Mrs Judith Taruvinga, however, did not confirm the statement after Chirinhe said there were some missing information from it.

Mrs Taruvinga said she will only confirm the statement after all the information has been recorded.

The State alleges that on December 27 at around 10am, Chirinhe was welcomed home by his wife Juliana. They allegedly entered their bedroom where a dispute ensued.

It is alleged that Chirinhe later fetched a service CZ pistol 9mm and shot his wife in the waist.

Neighbours heard the noise and assisted Chirinhe to take his wife to Chitungwiza Citimed Hospital and later to Chitungwiza Central Hospital, where they were referred to Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals.

Juliana is said to have later died at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals as a result of the injuries.

Chirinhe was not asked to plead to the charges and was remanded in custody to January 12, 2021 for routine remand. He was advised to approach the High Court for bail application. Mr Lancelot Mutsokoti appeared for the State.