Child kidnapped in central Maputo - AIM report
Valentina Guebuza murder: ballistics traps husband
10:11 CAT | 29 Dec 2017
In file CoM
Valentina Guebuza, daughter of former Mozambican President Armando Guebuza, could not possibly have shot herself, according to ballistics evidence presented to the Maputo City Court on Wednesday.
Valentina’s husband, Zofimo Muiuane, is on trial for her first degree murder. Although shortly after Valentina’s death, on 14 December 2016, he confessed to killing her, he has now changed his story and denies that he fired the fatal shots.
The story he told at the start of the trial was that Valentina had pointed a pistol at him, threatening to kill him, and he had then tried to disarm her. In the ensuing hand-to-hand struggle, she pulled the trigger and shot herself, he claimed.
When the trial resumed on Wednesday, after a recess for the Xmas holiday, ballistics expert Munis Mafuane confirmed what forensic doctors had already said, namely that Valentina was struck by two bullets.
He identified the gun used as a 7.65 mm calibre Pietro Barreto pistol. Furthermore, the gun had been fired at a distance of about three metres, which completely rules out the possibility that Valentina had shot herself.
It was also unthinkable that, as Muiuane had claimed, Valentina had tried to grab her husband’s pistol, since her own gun was within easy reach. This gun, found in her pocket was a different type of pistol, a 6.35 mm calibre Bowling pistol.
Four other expert witnesses who testified on Wednesday reached the same conclusion: that the gun was fired a short distance from the victim, and it would have been impossible for Valentina to shoot herself.
The trial is now reaching its end. On Thursday the court is expected to hear testimony from the policemen who took the dying Valentina to hospital.
Source: AIM
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