The family of a Bulawayo man who was shot dead by a senior police officer on New Year’s Eve in 2007 have rekindled their quest for justice.
Superitendent Milos Moyo, then officer commanding police camps in Bulawayo, was charged with culpable homicide following the murder of Artwell Magagada.
His trial started three years later in 2010.
Artwell’s brother, Charles Magagada on Wednesday told Sunday Southern Eye that the family was not happy with the way their brother’s matter was handled.
“He was tragically shot dead and we received no apology from the accused, who was even found guilty by our courts,” Charles said.
“To add salt to the wound, the top cop was fined US$500 sometime in 2010 and we got nothing.
“While we believe he had no intention to kill my brother, just a word of apology could have gone a long way in appeasing us but absolutely no apology came.”
Magagada added: “Secondly, we thought government, since he’s their employee who caused the death of our departed brother, would institute some compensation, but there was no concern on their
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part.”
Moyo, then stationed at ZRP Stops Camp, had pleaded not guilty to the murder of Artwell before Bulawayo High Court judge Justice Nicholas Mathonsi.
Prosecutors said on January 1, 2007, he discharged his service firearm at a crowd of revellers who were celebrating New Year’s Eve at Chicken Inn along Leopold Takawira Avenue.
One of the bullets from Moyo’s Smith and Wesson CZ pistol hit Magagada in the head.
He died after spending four days on a life support system at Mater Dei Hospital.
The bullet was still lodged in his head.
Artwell was employed as a cashier at Chicken Inn and had just knocked off from work on the day.
In his defence, Moyo, who was represented by Tanaka Muganyi, denied the possibility of his gunshots having injured Artwell.
He claimed that the deceased was not in his line of fire, adding that his gunshots were aimed at the wheels of a South African Isuzu truck.
Moyo alleged that he observed the driver of the truck pulling out a black pistol and cocking it.
In 2008, the Magagada family with the help of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, sued then Home Affairs minister Kembo Mohadi and Police Commissioner-General Augustine Chihuri over the death of their son.
The family was demanding $20 billion in damages, but the case collapsed.
“As a family, we want justice for our brother,” Charles said.
