Cornered robber guns down detective

Brenda Phiri and John Manzongo

A POLICE detective from CID Vehicle Theft Squad was yesterday shot dead by a robber he had arrested for stealing a car in Harare.

Police sources last night said the detective spotted a stolen white Toyota Raum belonging to Ms Memory Mamenyu at the Central Sorting Office in Braeside.

“He called the office verifying if the stolen vehicle had been recovered,” the sources said. The detective reportedly called the complainant. “The detail tried to arrest the suspect who fought back. We heard that the vehicle spun several times as the two wrestled,” the source said.

The robber shot dead the policeman and sped off with the body. The source said the robber wrapped the body in a plastic. Ms Mamenyu, who had been summoned to Braeside Police Station, saw the stolen car at the Coke Corner along Chitungwiza Road.

Ms Mamenyu said she received a phone call from the detective informing her that he had recovered her car. “I reported the vehicle missing in October last year. I was surprised when I was called by the policeman this afternoon saying he had recovered it at Central Sorting Office along Airport Road.”

She said the policeman had asked her to go to the police station. “I got surprised to see the vehicle being driven by someone else. I tried to stop the driver, but he sped off towards Sunningdale.”

Ms Mamenyu said she chased after the suspect who drove into a ditch in Sunningdale 3. “I picked stones to attack him and he drew a pistol which he pointed at me.” She said the robber took her other car and fled the scene. Ms Mamenyu said she also lost US$1 800 that was in the car.

Police national spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba confirmed the incident. “I can confirm that a police detective who was on duty pursuing an armed robber was shot and killed. He died on the spot and his next of kin have not yet been informed.”

Police recovered two empty pistol cartridges at the scene. The Herald