3 Bandits Killed in Shoot-Out With Police in Dar

Three bandits have been killed during an exchange of fire with the police as they attempted to raid a house at Mikocheni area in Dar es Salaam yesterday.

Dar es Salaam Special Zone Commissioner of Police (CP) Simon Sirro told the 'Daily News' by phone yesterday that the incident occurred in the morning and that the unidentified suspected gunmen were in possession of a gun.

"The bandits opened fire on the police officers who arrived at the scene before the planned robbery could take place. The police arrived there soon after being tipped-off by good people," Mr Sirro said, adding that no police officer was injured in the incident.

He said according to preliminary investigations, the thugs were the same ones who were involved in the incident in which they ambushed a vehicle near Nyerere Road and Mandela Expressway junction and robbed a Chinese national of 25m/- on Monday morning.

He said the bodies of the deceased are preserved at the Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH) pending identification and collection for burial. Investigations are ongoing to establish the entire network of bandits in the city.

Some social networks yesterday claimed that the suspects involved in the robbery incident at Mikocheni area near Feza Schools included a woman who was their driver. She surrendered herself to the police.

It is said the suspects had a plan to conduct raids in the area. They managed to escape after seeing their colleague killed by the police.

Meanwhile, Police in Mbeya Region have arrested a farmer after he was found unearthing a grave in which the body of a person with albinism, Sister Osisara, had been buried at Mumba Village in Mbalizi District.

Mbeya Regional Police Commander (RPC) Dhahiri Kidavashari said yesterday that preliminary investigations indicated that the suspect, Jonas John (28), who is a resident of Chapakazi, was unearthing the grave for the purpose of taking some parts of the body.

"We are looking for two accomplices in the case who ran away after seeing the police officers as they were unearthing the grave," said the RPC. The RPC pointed out that Sister Osisara died of fever in 2010 and was buried at the graveyard.

"The suspect was found with hand hoes and spades. He admitted during questioning that he was unearthing the grave for the said purpose," he said. Mr Kidashari said police are still investigating the matter to establish the actual motive behind the incident.