Police shoot 2 armed robbery suspects dead in Bulawayo shootout

By Staff Reporter

Police in Bulawayo shot and killed two armed robbery suspects whom they raided in their bush hide-out on Sunday resulting in a shootout that turned fatal for the pair.

In a statement on Monday, police spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi named the dead suspects as 37-year-old Aleck Moyo and Bongani Tshuma, aged 41.

According to Nyathi, police detectives from CID Homicide Bulawayo acted on a tip-off that the suspects who were 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”.

He added, “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.

“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.”

Police have linked the two 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”.

Police said the incident will help them clear a robbery case which occurred 29 July in a bushy area in old Nkulumane 12, Bulawayo where a Honda Fit vehicle was stolen together with three cell phones.

Police warned they will continue with their tough action against armed robbers in the country.