Four suspected armed robbers fatally shot by Byo police

The four suspected armed robbers nabbed at their Magwegwe hideout on Wednesday last week were reportedly fatally shot after they tried to flee during investigations, 20km out of Bulawayo, police have confirmed.   

National police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Wayne Bvudzijena said the four armed robbers were pronounced dead on admission at the United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH).

However, UBH chief executive officer Nonhlanhla Ndlovu said the police brought the suspected armed robbers already dead on Thursday.

Following a tip-off, police raided the house of one of the suspects and arrested him following an exchange of gunfire.

"The suspect then led the police to three other accomplices who indicated that they stashed arms on a farm about 20km from Bulawayo," said Bvudzijena.

"When they got to the place for indications, the suspects tried to flee the scene and were shot in the process. They were all pronounced dead when they were taken to the UBH."

Asked when exactly the suspects were taken to hospital, Bvudzijena retorted: "I cannot tell you exactly when the suspects were taken to hospital because it is missing from the information that was sent to me, but I can tell you that the raid was on Wednesday."

CID coordinator for Matabeleland Region Assistant Commissioner Erasmus Makodza said the police recovered a pistol and seven mobile phones believed to have been taken from victims in the suspected robbers' operations.

"The arrest of the four has also helped police solve five cases of armed robbery and two cases of carjacking," he said.

Makodza said some of the robberies included a raid of a POSB branch in North End and another one in Glengarry where a security guard was shot in the chest and left for dead.

The suspects were also linked to another robbery at a butchery in Trenance.