Staff ReporterSoldiers on Sunday allegedly shot at a bus full of passengers which was travelling from Masvingo to Mutare.
According to NewsDay MB transport which was fired at by the military was carrying 42 passengers.
The alleged soldiers are reported to have used a private vehicle belonging to a Masvingo based Zimra official identified as Makunike to chase the bus which had refused to stop after being flagged by Makunike who was using an unmarked vehicle.
Makunike is reported to have asked the soldiers for help and chased the bus. The soldiers then fired at the bus with one of the bullets reportedly narrowly missing the driver and shattering the window behind him.
“My bus driver did not stop seeing the vehicle was not marked and drove on,” the bus owner, Brian Mungofa of Beitbridge said.
“A few minutes later, the same vehicle was behind them, but now it had armed men dressed in Zimbabwe National Army camouflage. The occupants of the car were waving the driver to stop.My driver said he did not stop because he feared the soldiers and drove on to Nyika growth point, where he stopped at a police roadblock,”he said.
He added:“Before he arrived at the roadblock, the bus had been hit by six bullets, including one that narrowly missed the driver and hit a window behind him. I understand some spent cartridges were recovered from Makunike’s car. The matter was reported at the roadblock at Nyika”.
Makunike refused to comment on the issue and directed all questions to the Zimra head office in Harare.
Zimra corporate communications officer Canisio Mudzimu said drivers should stop when signaled to do so at a roadblock.
“When motorists approach a roadblock and they are signalled to stop, they must abide by the instructions since failure to stop is an offence in terms of the law. Zimra, therefore, urges members of the public to properly declare their goods on importation and exportation and to co-operate with Zimra officers and law enforcement agencies when they are carrying out their duties in accordance with the laws of the land,”he said
