By Crime and Courts Reporter – Harare Regional Magistrate Clever Tsikwa has fined US$300 a man convicted of assaulting Detective Superintendent Alexander Jachi, the head of the Criminal Investigations Department’s Homicide Division, in a violent attack that also saw the senior officer lose his service pistol and cash.
The incident occurred on September 30, 2023, outside Jongwe Corner, a popular entertainment venue in Hatfield, Harare.
The court heard that Det Supt Jachi was driving his gold Toyota Fortuner from Highfield to his home in Chitungwiza when he noticed two suspicious vehicles — a silver VW Polo and a red Honda Fit — tailing him.
Fearing he was under threat, Det Supt Jachi diverted to Jongwe Corner for safety. As he parked, Sydney Rande and Munyaradzi Chatonzwa exited one of the trailing vehicles and aggressively approached him.
When confronted, the detective fired a warning shot into the air with his 9mm Taurus service pistol in an attempt to disperse the group. However, Chatonzwa continued advancing. Det Supt Jachi then shot him once in the left leg, but the assailant persisted and struck the officer with an unidentified object, knocking him to the ground.
The assault escalated as more attackers joined in, rendering the senior detective unconscious and bleeding. Bystanders who attempted to assist were also reportedly attacked.
During the melee, the assailants searched Det Supt Jachi and stole his wallet containing US$140, personal identification cards, and his state-issued service pistol. They also deflated the tyres of his vehicle before fleeing the scene.
In court, only Sydney Rande was convicted and fined US$300 after his initial 12-month prison sentence was wholly suspended upon payment. His co-accused — Munyaradzi Chatonzwa, Mark Tatenda Chingombe, and Simbarashe Steven Ota — were acquitted due to lack of evidence linking them directly to the assault.
While Det Supt Jachi’s wallet and ID cards were later recovered from Chatonzwa, the service pistol remains missing, raising serious concerns about the weapon’s whereabouts and potential misuse.