Bulawayo – The funeral service for Detective Constable Cassandra Hove in Bulawayo was marred by shock, outrage, and accusations of a police cover-up, as no member of the elite all-female Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Lozikeyi Unit attended. The family openly alleged that Hove was shot by a fellow police officer, contradicting initial reports that she was killed by armed robbers.
The scheduled 10am funeral service at Nyaradzo Funeral Parlour was abruptly postponed due to heightened emotions among mourners and close family members, who confronted police officers present, demanding answers and justice.
According to the police, Hove sustained gunshot wounds to her upper limbs during the exchange of fire with robbers at around 8.40pm and was rushed to a nearby private clinic, where she was pronounced dead upon arrival.
The family also demanded to know the identities of the officers deployed in the Pumula South raid and the individual who authorised Hove’s post-mortem, saying they were not involved in the process and were shocked to learn that someone else had signed documents at the hospital as Hove’s next-of-kin.
Hove’s family and mourners were left furious over the absence of CID Lozikeyi officers at the service held at Nyaradzo Funeral Parlour. The family openly accused the police of hiding the truth.
“There is something suspicious about all this. Why did the police rush to conduct a post-mortem without our consent or knowledge?” fumed one female family member.
“Why were they collecting bereavement monies without our knowledge? Where did that money go? Also, why did the police notify us about her death hours after she had been killed? They also demanded her mobile phones and title deeds to the house for reasons best known to them,” she blasted.
The family stated that they were not satisfied with the version of events given by the police and vowed to pursue the matter until the culprits were brought to justice.
“If our concerns are not addressed, then they might as well bury her themselves—after all, she belonged to the State. The police must be held accountable, and we will not stop questioning them until we are satisfied,” they said.
A family spokesperson, Mr Ryan Gambinga, said they were deeply shocked and troubled by the tragic circumstances surrounding Hove’s death.
Mr Gambinga said the family would only find peace if a thorough investigation was conducted and the full truth was revealed to bring the matter to finality.
“This revelation raises profound questions and intensifies our grief. We are committed to uncovering the complete truth and ensuring that justice is served,” he said.
“As we mourn the loss of our beloved daughter, we demand a thorough and transparent investigation,” added Mr Gambinga.
The family wrangled with the officers present until around 3pm, when tensions cooled following a closed-door meeting with some unidentified police ‘bosses’.
“We decided to proceed with the service after meeting with the police. They assured us that they would launch a full investigation into the matter. They gave us their highest assurance, and as a family, we decided to go ahead with the proceedings,” said Mr Gambinga.
“It is now up to them as the police to uphold their end of the bargain.”
Mr Gambinga said the family was disappointed that the individuals at the centre of the matter failed to present themselves to the family as they sought closure.
“It would have been prudent for them to come and speak with us. After all, it is customary in many traditions to do so. We have questions that need to be answered,” he said.
Mr Gambinga revealed that the late Hove had recently secured a scholarship to Russia to pursue a degree in forensic investigations.
“We had sorted all her paperwork and were in the process of securing funds. This is truly a tragedy,” he said.
The emotional send-off saw many of her colleagues in attendance, but none from the Criminal Investigations Department’s crack Homicide Unit, named ‘Lozikeyi’, were present.
Bulawayo Province acting police spokesperson, Assistant Inspector Nomalanga Msebele, referred all questions to national police spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi, who was unavailable for comment.
Hove is survived by four children and was buried at her rural home in Mberengwa yesterday.
CID Lozikeyi, also known as ‘Team Lozikeyi’, is an elite homicide unit within the Zimbabwe Republic Police based in Bulawayo. Named after Lozikeyi Dlodlo, the revered queen of the Ndebele Kingdom, the unit specialises in investigating violent crimes, particularly murder cases and armed robberies. The team is known for its aggressive pursuit of criminals and has been involved in high-profile takedowns of dangerous suspects.
However, their absence at Hove’s funeral has raised questions about whether they are distancing themselves from the controversy. Mourners speculated on whether their non-attendance was a sign of internal divisions or a deliberate move to avoid scrutiny.
Ryan Gambinga, the family spokesperson, confirmed that the family had met with Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) Bulawayo officers, who admitted that a police gun was used in the shooting. However, details surrounding the incident remained unclear.
“While we initially received conflicting reports, our recent meeting with ZRP Bulawayo has confirmed that a fellow police officer, and not armed robbers, was involved in this devastating incident,” said Gambinga.
“This revelation raises profound questions and intensifies our grief. We are committed to uncovering the complete truth and ensuring that justice is served.”
The late Detective Constable Cassandra Hove, who was fatally shot during a gunfight with armed robbers in Bulawayo’s Pumula South suburb last Thursday, was laid to rest yesterday at her rural home in Mataruse Village, Mberengwa District, Midlands Province.
However, her burial was overshadowed by controversy as her family continues to question how she was killed. During her funeral service at a funeral parlour in Bulawayo on Sunday, emotions ran high as family members confronted the police, accusing them of concealing the truth.
They alleged that Hove was not killed by the robbers but rather by one of her colleagues and demanded clarification on whether this was an accident or intentional.
According to official police reports, Hove sustained gunshot wounds to her upper body during an exchange of fire with the suspects at around 8.40PM. She was rushed to a nearby private clinic where she was pronounced dead upon arrival.
The family demanded to know the identities of the officers deployed in the Pumula South raid and the individual who authorised Hove’s post-mortem, arguing that they were not involved in the process and were shocked to learn that someone else had signed documents at the hospital as Hove’s next of kin.
The family said it was not satisfied with the version of events given by the police and vowed to pursue the matter until the culprits were brought to justice.
Family spokesperson Mr Ryan Gambinga confirmed Hove’s burial yesterday.
“She has been laid to rest in Mataruse Village in Mberengwa today,” he said.
Mr Gambinga could not be drawn into divulging further information about the burial proceedings. He said the family was deeply troubled and called for a thorough investigation into the matter. Hove’s death came at a tragic time, as she had recently secured a scholarship to study forensic investigations in Russia.
The absence of the elite Lozikeyi Unit, coupled with the family’s accusations, has cast a dark shadow over the investigation and fueled public suspicion about the true circumstances surrounding Detective Constable Hove’s death. The family remains steadfast in their demand for a thorough and transparent investigation to ensure that justice is served.
