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A man takes a closer look at the body of a notorious robber known as Kedha who was shot on Sunday
while charging towards armed police detectives. He is believed to be part of gangsters who are unleashing a reign of terror in Beitbridge.

Thupeyo Muleya Beitbridge Bureau
A POLICE crack team has shot and killed a notorious armed robber and arrested four others in connection with a spate of armed robbery cases around Beitbridge town and illegal crossing points along the Limpopo River. It is understood that the robber, commonly known as Kedha, was part of a marauding terror gang unleashing a reign of terror, along with several other criminals who are still at large.

Sources close to the investigations said yesterday that Kedha was shot at around 4pm on Sunday afternoon when he tried to charge at armed police. They said, sensing danger, the crack unit shot him in the head, killing him instantly. Four of his accomplices surrendered as a result.

“The gang would use any weapon including guns, iron bars and knives to attack their victims. They ran out of luck when a crack unit swooped on them near Dulivhadzimo area on a road leading to the gorge, where violent crimes are rife,”said the source. Matabeleland South police spokesperson Inspector Philisani Ndebele could neither confirm nor deny the incident. He referred all questions to national police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba, who could not be reached through her mobile phone.

“I have no information you may need, so contact the national police spokesperson, ”said Insp Ndebele. However, sources said Kedah and crew were preying on money changers, taxi drivers, illegal immigrants and mobile-cash services operators (EcoCash). They said the crew were tracked using one of the mobile phones they robbed an EcoCash dealer recently.

By the end of the day yesterday, Kedha’s accomplices, whose names are yet to be established, were reported to be assisting police detectives with investigations. So far police have managed to arrest eight dangerous criminals for armed robbery cases which occurred in the last two weeks around Beitbridge town. The police are seeking to restore sanity in the border town.

Last week, a police crack team arrested a Gutu gangster for violently killing a taxi driver before driving away in his car. Emmanuel Mapfumo (29), who is facing charges of robbery and murder, appeared before Beitbridge magistrate Mr Trevor Nyatsanza on Thursday last week. He was remanded in custody to October 25. Three other armed robbers were arrested during a ZRP and South African Police Services (SAPS) joint operation targeting cross-border criminals operating from the Limpopo River.