The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) has said two of the five armed robbers killed in a shoot-out with police along Glenara Avenue in Harare on Thursday were South Africans, while the other three who were captured alive were Zimbabweans.
However, the gang leader and most wanted suspect, a hardcore criminal named Musa Taj Abdul (alias Musa Mahommed), managed to escape.
In a statement, national police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi corrected earlier media reports that claimed Abdul, who has been on the police wanted list since 1999, was among those shot dead. Said Nyathi:
Musa Taj Abdul alias Musa Mahommed is not among the arrested or shot gang members. He is still on the police wanted list.
The three dead Zimbabweans have been identified as Dennis Stanley Dube alias Dingola (29), Taurai Chitepo (36) and the other one only identified as Johnson.
The three survivors have been identified as Godfrey Mupamhanga (27), Prince Zakeo (25) and Maxwell Stanley alias Dennis Mateta (25). They were all arrested on nine counts of armed robbery and are expected to appear in court this Saturday.
The deceased South African criminals’ identities are yet to be established and ZRP has since asked Interpol for help.