Police Protection Unit (PPU) officer is facing legal scrutiny after accidentally shooting himself in the knee while on duty at State House in Bulawayo.
Dubani Munkuli, 36, appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Challenge Mahembe, charged with negligently discharging a firearm. He pleaded not guilty to the allegation.
Through his lawyer, Munkuli insisted that he did not intentionally fire the CZ pistol and suggested the weapon may have discharged due to poor maintenance. “We do not know the service history of this pistol. It could have misfired on its own, and that should not be considered negligence on my client’s part,” his lawyer told the court.
However, a ballistic expert disagreed, testifying that firearms cannot discharge without the trigger being pulled. “A gun cannot fire by itself. It requires someone to engage the trigger mechanism,” the expert said.
The court also heard that the shooting occurred on 15 May while Munkuli was on duty alongside fellow officer Simbarashe Manombe. Around 11:20pm, Munkuli allegedly stood up from his seat while holding the pistol with both hands to go to the toilet. In the process, a round was discharged, hitting him in the knee.
During proceedings, Munkuli’s lawyer questioned the last maintenance date of the weapon, highlighting that improper servicing could have contributed to the mishap. The expert admitted that he did not have records of the gun’s servicing history, allowing the defence to raise doubts about equipment reliability.
Munkuli was remanded out of custody and will return to court on 25 August for the continuation of his trial.
The bizarre incident has sparked chatter across Bulawayo, with some locals joking, “Instead of stopping criminals, the cop caught himself.” Others noted that poorly maintained firearms in service could be dangerous, potentially endangering more officers if left unaddressed.
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