BULAWAYO – Two armed robbery suspects died in a shootout with detectives in Bulawayo on Sunday, police spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi said in a statement.
Nyathi named the two as Aleck Moyo, aged 37 and Bongani Tshuma, 41.
The police spokesperson said detectives from CID Homicide Bulawayo acted on information received that the suspects who had been on the police wanted persons list had set up camp “in a bushy area between Mpilo Hospital and Richmond, Bulawayo in a bid to evade arrest”.
“The detectives acted on the information and conducted a raid at the area. The suspects began to fire at the detectives leading to a shoot-out,” Nyathi said.
“Subsequently, the suspects were overpowered leading to the recovery of a Cannic pistol with a magazine of four rounds and an Astra Revolver with two rounds.
“The suspects sustained gunshot wounds and were taken to United Bulawayo Group of Hospitals where they died upon admission.”
The suspects, according to Nyathi, are linked to five armed robbery cases which occurred between 6 March and 29 July this year.
This includes a case of robbery which occurred on 7 May 2024 at Phatalika Village, Nyangazonke Sunyetsen, where “household goods, a Honda CVR vehicle registration number AEA 9034 and Toyota Surf vehicle, registration number ABC 6251 were stolen”.
Following the incident, police said they were closer to clearing a robbery case which occurred 29 July in a bushy area in old Nkulumane 12, Bulawayo where a Honda Fit vehicle, registration number ADX 7925 and three cell phones were stolen.
Police vowed they were going to stop at nothing to met out the punitive action against rampant cases of armed robbery in the country.
“The crack teams set up by the Zimbabwe Republic Police command are alert and will ensure that the law takes its course without fear or favour,” Nyathi said.