3 robbers nabbed after shoot-out

THREE armed robbers were last Friday arrested following a shoot-out with police in Marlborough, Harare.

Police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba confirmed the incident.

“I am still to get the exact details, but three armed robbers were arrested following a shoot-out and one of them is still at large after fleeing,” she said.

She could not reveal the names and nature of the crimes the robbers were involved in, saying they were on the police wanted list.

“They were wanted persons who had been involved in various robberies,” Snr Asst Comm Charamba said.

Social media has been awash with pictures of at least four men lying on the ground, with one of them having a gunshot wound on the leg and police officers holding rifles.

The shoot-out confirmed some activity by armed robbers in Harare, with police investigating some of the incidents of armed robbery.

Eleven armed robbers recently attacked a Harare firm, PHI Commodities, and got away with nearly $2 million stashed in sacks and boxes.

The robbers went on to buy luxury vehicles and moved on to live in up market suburbs in the capital.

Wilson Manyara (30) and Joseph Ndigo (38) Godfrey Josi (38) and Taurai Dzingai (46), have already appeared in court facing armed robbery charges.

The State alleges that on April 2, at around midnight, the gang hatched a plan to rob PHI Commodities at 17 Foundry

Road, Aspindale in Harare and drove to the place while armed and parked their getaway vehicle outside.

They jumped over the pre-cast wall and gained entry into the premises before pouncing on Cephas Kisimesi and Cephas Chiutawo, who were guarding the premises.

They assaulted the two guards and forced them to lie down before they handcuffed them.

Two of the suspects were left guarding

them.

The other robbers proceeded to the office complex where they looked for cash and valuables.

It was alleged that they accessed strong room keys and stole seven laptops.

They then used explosives to open another room where they allegedly found sacks and boxes full of $2 and $5 bond notes amounting to $1 799 960.

They loaded the cash into their vehicle and sped away.