Police Officer Moonlighting As Armed Robber & 3 Others Shot Dead Following Shootout

Crime and Court

There was drama in Harare CBD on Friday night, after the police cornered a gang of suspected armed robbers. Four of the alleged armed robbers died following a shootout with the police.

According to online publication ZimLive, one of the dead suspected armed robbers has been identified as a police officer based at Hatfield Police Station in the capital.

The bloody shootout occured on Friday night along Mbuya Nehanda Street. Two of the suspected armed robbers survived the shootout and were apprehended by the police. They are currently in custody helping police officers with further investigations.

The publication reports that according to an internal police memo, the gang of six got into the gun battle with the police after attempting to rob the owner of a shop dealing in solar energy products.

45-year-old Chris Chibueze who is the owner of the shop told the police that a customer had called him and told him to bring a solar battery to his home at 6 PM.

Chibueze who had already left the shop returned to collect the battery. This is when he was accosted by the gang.

“Suddenly, he was approached by six male adults who were armed with four pistols. The accused persons ordered Chibueze to lie down whilst pointing firearms at him to which he complied,” police said.–iharare