An armed gang that had broken into a house in Kwekwe, Midlands Province, fled in terror when their victim suddenly opened fire on them.
Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) spokesperson for Midlands Province Inspector Emmanuel Mahoko confirmed the incident to the Chronicle which occurred on 22 December.
He said three armed robbers pounced at a house in Mbizvo 14 High Density Suburb, Kwekwe where the complainant Tangai Chihava (46) was asleep.
The armed robbers reportedly used a bolt cutter to break a padlock and gained entry into the house. Said Insp Mahoko:
They ransacked it and stole cellphones, they tried to open the complainant’s bedroom and failed.
The complainant then scared them away by firing shots from his gun. The suspects fired back but ended up running away.
In August 2022, President Emmerson Mnangagwa declared an amnesty on illegal firearm holders but apparently, this has done little to stop gun violence in the country.
Mnangagwa declared an amnesty on all illegal firearm holders to voluntarily surrender them to their nearest police stations with no questions asked.
At least 538 guns were surrendered before the deadline of the amnesty. The amnesty was later extended.
However, armed robbery cases involving the use of unlicensed firearms continue to be reported by the Police.
Members of the security services have been implicated in some of the armed robberies involving large sums of cash.
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