Wongai Zhangazha

THE housemaid of retired former army commander General Solomon Mujuru who died in a fire at his Beatrice farm last year stunned the court yesterday by revealing that she had heard what sounded like gunshots before being alerted by a police officer that the farmhouse was on fire.
Rosemary Short made these revelations while testifying at the ongoing inquest into circumstances surrounding the death of the former army commander who perished in an inferno in August  last year.

Short’s evidence corroborated that of security guard Clemence Runhare who was employed at Mujuru’s farm at the time of the tragedy. Runhare told the court on Monday that he had heard sounds of gunfire about two hours before he was alerted to the fire that is believed to have killed the General.

Short also told the inquest, led by regional magistrate Walter Chikwanha, that Mujuru had often complained to her that police officers guarding his farm were avoiding him and he was considering having them withdrawn.

The police officers in question were constables Augustinos Chinyoka, Lazarus Handikatari and Obert Mark.
Short said she noticed that something was unusual when Mujuru left groceries and his medication in the car as well as leaving the car unlocked. She said this was something “he would never do”.

The court was left further shocked when it came to light that the keys Mujuru had earlier said he did not have, saying he had left them in Harare, were later found in his bedroom after the fire had been extinguished.

After being questioned by Mujuru’s nephew Tendai Mundawarara whether she had heard any sounds from the farmhouse on the evening of August 15 2011, Short said:

“I sort of heard two gunshots. I was asleep and I didn’t check what time I heard the sounds. The reason that I ignored and did not check what was happening was because there were some occasions when the police would fire gunshots during the day or at night saying that they wanted to scare away any intruders and at times kill snakes. When I went to the main house, I told police officer Obert Mark that I had heard sounds that sounded like gunshots, but he said the noise emanated from exploding asbestos and that the smell was as a result of items that were burning.”

Short was asked why she did not reveal this information when police took her statement during their initial investigations.
“It was relevant information but I had too much on my hands. The whole incident had left me confused,” Short responded.

The General’s brother Joel Mujuru asked Short whether she had witnessed any irregularities in the relationship between him and police officers who were guarding the farm at the time of his death.

Short replied that the relationship was not good and at one point the General had hinted to her that there wasn’t adequate security at the farm and people were guarding themselves.

She said: “The relationship between the General and these policemen was not good and he suspected that they were avoiding him, the reason being that they had assaulted one of the farm workers and injured him in his leg to the extent that he had to be taken to a hospital. Upon hearing the news General Mujuru quizzed the police (officers on) why they had assaulted the farm worker since the matter happened at a beerhall and without trying to understand what had happened. The General further indicated that he was thinking of removing the officers from his farm because they were not working well with his workers, but because their period of guard duty at the farm was lapsing, he was a bit reluctant.”

She indicated that although she had given Mujuru keys to the kitchen door, she was surprised his car was that night parkedon the verrandah side when she had given him keys to the kitchen door. She was surprised because he usually parked his vehicle nearest to the entrance he would have used. 

“ If he had used the kitchen door, he would have parked closer to the kitchen.What surprised me further was that the vehicle doors were not locked, given that there were groceries in the car. For the period I have worked for the Mujuru family, he has never ever left the vehicle unlocked with items inside. Moreover, he would never leave his medication that was in a wallet behind,” Short said.

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