RESIDENTS in Tshabalala, Bulawayo, are living in fear after police reportedly beat up people and raided beer outlets as they imposed a curfew following the fatal shooting of a policeman on Friday last week.
Sergeant Abel Masava (43), stationed at Tshabalala Police Station, was reportedly shot in the head and died while being rushed to the hospital. Residents in Sizinda and Tshabalala said police conducted night patrols in the two suburbs where they allegedly terrorised anyone they met walking around or drinking at bear outlets from around 9pm.
“The situation was bad yesterday (Saturday) as police beat up people they met walking around in Sizinda. It was terrible. They are angry that a policeman was shot dead on Friday and they did not want to see anyone moving around at night,” a resident told Southern Eye yesterday.
“Anyone they met at that time was in trouble. These people have caused us serious problems,” a resident from Tshabalala said yesterday.
National police spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the incident, adding that investigations were underway.
