Police Will ‘Shoot to Kill’ Armed Robbers: Commissioner General
Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) Commissioner-General Godwin Matanga said people who possess unregistered firearms shall be deemed to be planning to commit serious crimes and police officers will shoot to kill.
Commissioner General was speaking at a funeral parade for the late Inspector Maxwell Hove who was shot dead in the line of duty last week by former detective Jaison Muvevi.
“I wish to categorically state that those with unregistered firearms shall be deemed to have criminal intent. Furthermore, as police officers, we will not hesitate to shoot to kill all perpetrators of heinous crimes such as armed robbery, which are making society apprehensive,” Matanga said
He said police have also noted with concern an increasing number of unregistered firearms recovered at crime scenes.
In August 2022, President Emmerson Mnangagwa granted a presidential amnesty on the voluntary surrender of firearms and ammunition.
Police assured those who surrendered their firearms that no criminal charges would be preferred against them during the period (8th August to 30th September 2022) as long as they complied with the provisions of the Presidential Amnesty.
As of August 30, 185 unregistered guns countrywide had been surrendered to the police.
