Zimbabwean Armed Robber Shot In South Africa

A suspected armed robber from Zimbabwe was shot and injured by his victim, a serving member of the South African Police Services (Saps), whose home the suspect had broken into with two accomplices.

The cop, who was shot by the intruders, crawled to his service pistol and shot one of his attackers, who was later identified as a Zimbabwean, Saps said in a statement on Monday.

“The Provincial Commissioner of Police in Limpopo Lieutenant-General Thembi Hadebe has hailed the response of an off-duty police sergeant whose reaction led to the arrest of one suspect following an incident of a house robbery. The incident happened at Lukau Tshishive village under Mutale policing area in the early hours of Sunday morning, 5 December 2022 at about 01:30,” said Limpopo Province Saps spokesperson Colonel Malesela Ledwaba.

“The police sergeant, attached to Mutale Saps was attacked in his house, while sleeping with his wife. He was awoken by a loud bang on the door and three unknown males entered the bedroom, one of them carrying a firearm,” Ledwaba said.

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The suspects demanded money and cellphones from the victim and ransacked the room and took some clothes, footwear, ladies’ handbags and a wallet with bank cards.

“The suspect carrying a firearm shot the sergeant on his shoulder and the other suspects dragged the wife to the nearby bushes. The brave sergeant managed to crawl and get his service pistol and retaliated by firing a shot at the suspect who was left behind in the room. The suspect ran out of the house and jumped the fence and disappeared into the bushes. The wife later returned and investigations are unfolding on what could have happened to her,” he said.

The wounded Zimbabwean suspect is expected to appear before the Mutale Magistrates Court to face attempted murder and house robbery charges.

A manhunt has been launched for the remaining two suspects.