BULAWAYO – Six armed robbery suspects were killed at a tollgate on approach to Bulawayo on the Victoria Falls highway early Tuesday, police said.
The suspects had allegedly robbed a bar in Insuza before jumping into their silver Honda Fit and fleeing.
Police at a tollgate 10km north-east of Bulawayo observed the vehicle approaching at around 2AM after a report had been made ordered but the occupants allegedly opened fire and the driver attempted to drive through the tollgate boomgate.
In a subsequent shootout, all six suspects sustained gunshot wounds and died on admission at the United Bulawayo Hospitals.
National police spokesman Commissioner Paul Nyathi said in a statement: “The suspects spent the whole day monitoring and drinking beer at the Young Money General Dealer shop in Insuza. Later, they pounced on on the two bar attendants while armed with pistols, knives and axes.”
Nyathi said the victims had their hands tied with electric cables and the men covered their heads with blankets while demanding to know where cash and gold was stored.
The suspects ransacked the shop, stealing an undisclosed amount of cash, groceries, a 48-volt lithium battery, an inverter, an amplifier, a nine-kilogramme gas tank, and several mobile phones.
The shop owner called police after being alerted to the robbery, leading to the attempt to intercept the robbers at the tollgate.
Police recovered two pistols with four live rounds and two gas operated pistols, two knives and an axe from the vehicle.
“The ZRP reiterates that there is no going back in the fight against armed robbery syndicates. Any form of confrontation will be responded to through appropriate measures,” Nyathi said.
