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Crime Reporter

A man found dead early yesterday morning inside a silver Honda Fit just outside Parirenyatwa Hospital in Harare is believed to have been part of a gang of armed robbers, police have said.

The man’s body had wounds on the chest and stomach, and was lying on the back seat of the vehicle which was parked near the main hospital gate along Mazowe Street.

Investigations have so far revealed that the vehicle was robbed from its owner in Harare and it is suspected that the man and his accomplices were using it as a getaway car after committing crimes. The vehicle had a single registration number plate (ADW 5062) attached on the front and no rear plate.

In the vehicle, police recovered several cellphones, housebreaking equipment, a crow bar, a golf stick, beer bottles and electrical cables, among other goods and clothes.

Although the details were still sketchy, it is believed that the suspected armed robber might have been seriously injured while committing crimes in the company of his accomplices.

After seeing that their colleague had been injured, the gang then decided to drive and dump him and the vehicle near the main gate to Parirenyatwa Hospital in the hope that he might get assistance during the early hours of yesterday. However, the suspect died before getting the assistance.

Yesterday morning, the public noticed the vehicle parked along the pavement and went to investigate.

They found the body of the man who is believed to be aged between 30 and 35 on the back seat.

A report was made to the police who attended the scene and investigations are now in progress.

When the Herald visited the scene, a team of detectives from CID Homicide, CID Studios and CID Forensics were conducting investigations.

An eyewitness, Mr Lameck Kwari, who is employed as a security guard near the hospital, said when he discovered that the man was dead, he went and made a report to the police.

“I was among the first people to arrive at the scene and when I touched the man I discovered that he was already dead and I proceeded to Harare Central Police Station to make a report,” he said.

Mr Kwari had just finished his duties and was on his way home.

National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said investigations while still in progress, police suspected the dead man was part of the gang that robbed the vehicle from its owner.

Some of the equipment found in the vehicle had since been taken as exhibits while a manhunt had been launched for his accomplices.