By Bustop TV Reporter
Residents in Kuwadzana are dismissing police reports that a female identified as Lucy Nyakudya (20) who was gunned down following a high-speed chase and shootout with police detectives in Kuwadzana, Harare, on Wednesday was part of the robbers.
A leaked police memo dated March 24 indicated that she was one of the two women who were part of the 7-member gang linked to a spate of robberies and have pending court cases dating as far back as 2009.
However, Kuwadzana residents are vehemently denying the allegations stating that the young girl had no known criminal records or tendencies but was a party freak who was caught in the cross fire during the shooting incident as she was in the company of the suspects drinking.
Eye witnesses who spoke to this publication indicated that despite being a daughter of a common drug lord in the community Lucy Nyakudya was known for being a jovial and happy soul, that could gossip and laugh with anyone and always known for being ever smiling.
Residents from Kuwadzana 1 Areno area where she stayed insist that there should have been an error with the police statement, because Lucy was never a thief from childhood and a child who never lacked anything.
“It is difficult for us to accept that she was a thief as indicated in the police statement and reports circulating, because she is someone that we know from childhood, she never lacked anything from her parents everything was given to her on a silver platter. She would even come to our houses and play with our children but never a day did we miss anything in our houses.
“The only thing that we know that many parents do not give their children but hers gave her was freedom, seeing her no one knew her age because she acted like a real mature and grown up girl, she was a slay queen and a party freak that rarely missed an invitation to any event.
“It is unfortunate that she had to die in such a manner, she will be surely missed in these hoods,” narrated one shop owner who preferred anonymity.
Another eye witness who only identified himself as Tau said the shootout occurred in broad day light, at Kuwadzana 2 Shopping Centre and the lady in question was in the company of the team that was on the wanted list sitting in the car parting when the shootout took place.
“The team was parting as always, people come to party here waiting for K2 to open, that’s when we started hearing gunshots as there was an exchange of gunshots and Lucy was shot in the crossfire whilst sited in the car.
“The officers noticed that they shot someone in the car when they heard people screaming, after seeing her gushing out blood, they dispersed us from the shopping center area and one detective took charge of the car and drove off with it, we do not know where to but we saw him leaving the site with the car and a lifeless body in it, the dying upon arrival at the hospital part we are hearing does not seem real as she died on the spot,” he said.
Contrary to reports by eye witnesses that Lucy died on the spot during the shooting incident, the Zimbabwe Republic Police statement reported that after the shooting incident, the victim was rushed to Sally Mugabe Hospital where she was pronounced dead on arrival.
The shooting incident comes a day after a ZRP police officer was arraigned before the courts after killing a murder suspect in Amaveni suburb in Kwekwe.
Constable Morris Bako shot and killed 20-year-old Honest Mbulavi on March 15 while intending to arrest him in connection with cases of assault and robbery.
“The victim resisted arrest and attacked three police officers with a home-made knife after initially hiding in his bedroom. He was shot once on the chest and succumbed to the injuries,” said Asst Comm Nyathi.
