PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa has threatened a shoot-to-kill policy to deal with the growing threat of armed robberies, amid reports that security officers were also involved in such crimes.
Recently, armed robbers have been targeting houses,
companies and motorists on the highways with most of them being reportedly
serving and former army and police officers.
Reports indicate that the criminals were taking advantage
of porous borders to bring ammunition to Zimbabwe from neighbouring South
Africa.
Other robbers are said to be using their service firearms
to engage in violent crimes.
“Lately, we have witnessed an upsurge in gun-related
crimes,” Mnangagwa said in his Unity Day message.
“There is a clear upsurge in the abuse of firearms,
including violent armed robberies. The government now treats this as a grave
threat to personal and national security.”
“Decisive measures have now become necessary to put an end
to this growing menace that threatens our otherwise peaceful, law-abiding
nation and citizenry. Those who dabble in arms will soon fall by the sword. Let
them be warned.”
Top police and military brass have confirmed that some of
their members and former officers were engaging in criminal activities.
Recently, a former police detective Joseph Nemaisa gunned
down a soldier and former cop at his Chadcombe home in Harare after they
attempted to rob his family.
Several cases of armed robberies in the recent past have
implicated security services personnel. Newsday
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