CommuTalk Reporter
GWERU: An Air Force of Zimbabwe instructor Mkhululi Dube and a female student pilot Silungile Swewe died when a training plane they were flying supposedly developed a technical fault and crashed at Dabuka in Somabula on the outskirts of Gweru yesterday.
The two were on routine training from Josiah Tungamirai Air Force Base when the accident occurred.
The Airforce of Zimbabwe is yet to release an official statement on the accident which occurred yesterday afternoon.
A team from the Air Force of Zimbabwe arrived at the scene some minutes after the crash and dispersed villagers who had just gathered before retrieving the bodies.
CommuTalk is however told that while dispersing people, air force officials at the scene had detained journalists Elizabeth Mashiri and Patrick Chitumba along with Zimpapers driver who had gone to cover the crash.
They were later released with no charge laid against them around 8PM.
Following the journalists’ detention, MISA Zimbabwe director Thabani Moyo urged the security forces to respect the Constitutional rights of journalists and to use professional procedures where they have complaints against scribes. He condemned the use of unlawful means to deal with journalists.
