GABORONE/JOHANNESBURG, Feb 24 (NNN-SABC) — Nine suspected cash-in-transit robbers from South Africa and Botswana have been killed in a shootout with the police in Botswana’s capital Gaborone.
Botswana’s assistant Police Commissioner, Dipheko Motube says the shootout ensued after 11 heavily armed men attacked and robbed a cash-in-transit van of over 986,000 pula (85,900 U.S. dollars)in the city’s main mall on Wednesday. The robbers fled the scene but was pursued by the police and a shoot-out ensued at a location just outside Gaborone.
A 30-year old Motswana woman has been arrested following the shoot-out.
Motube says four pistols and an AK 47 were found on the scene. He says most of the money has been recovered.
Ten men were arrested during the Monday shootout with police in Rosettenville and have been charged in the Johannesburg Magistrates Court. They are facing charges of murder, attempted murder, possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition, possession of explosives and possession of hijacked vehicles and conspiracy to commit a cash-in-transit heist.
Eight suspects were shot dead during an exchange of fire with police. One was a former SANDF soldier. Seven of the suspects are still on the run. Four police officers were wounded in the shootout of whom one died in hospital on Tuesday. — NNN-SABC