Armed robbers in Sinda on Monday attacked an Indian national and got away with K45,000 cash after breaking into his shop in broad daylight.

Eastern Province deputy police commissioner Sharon Zulu confirmed this at a press briefing in Chipata, Tuesday.

“We had a case of aggravated robbery case in Sinda reported by male, Imran Luani aged 39 years of Katete, also a director of Fatima Wholesale and Retail shop. That unknown people wearing face masks armed with two AK47 riffle and an axe, robbed him of his cash amounting to K45,000. This happened yesterday on 28th May, 2018 at around 15:00 hours day time at Fatima Wholesale shops in Sinda district. The robbers were reported to have been using a Toyota Corolla, registration number AJB 2066 and it was White in colour,” Zulu said.

Zulu disclosed, however, that police had recovered two AK47 riffles, three magazines with 64 rounds of ammunition, three face masks and K15 thousand from a vehicle which the robbers abandoned as they were escaping.

“Police quickly made a follow up and managed to find the alleged motor vehicle suspected to have been used by the robbers. Upon approaching the vehicle which was being driven along the dust road, which is Petrol Mbuzi gravel road, police tried to pursue the vehicle and they also tried to speed off. The police tried to fire a gun shot and later the criminal abandoned the vehicle. Upon searching the vehicle, the police found two AK47 riffles, through magazines loaded with 64 rounds of ammunition and a hand axe, three face masks, nine blanks ammunitions and money cash amounting to K15,000. The recovered vehicle is packed at Sinda police station, though unfortunately there is no arrest because the criminal ran away. But with those recoveries, I think to us it was a job well done by the police officers.”

And in a related development, seven armed robbers broke into a medical health director at Mwami Adventist Hospital’s house and stole four laptops, three mobile phones, K7,000 cash and other household goods which have not been valued.

“We received a report yesterday which came to our attention around 00:30 hours through our Mwami Boader police post, the report is that a male Doctor by the name of Ronita Ang aged 63, a medical director of the Mwami Hospital had was attacked with his family armed robbers. They were about six to seven armed with unkown fire arm, machetes, axes and they attacked them after tying the security male guard Philimon Phiri with an electoral cable on both hands and legs. Then they went and broke into the House through the kitchen. So when they got in, the wife who was in the study room where she was doing her assignment, so she went to the kitchen door to check who was there then they kept on banging the door and in process she called for the husband who quickly came and pipped through the window. When he asked the person knocking was, they said ‘just open the door for us’. So eventually the criminal managed to get inside the house, they ran to the next door which is leading to the sitting room but still the criminal still managed still managed to find his way in,” said Zulu.

“They hacked the husband together with the door which he was holding. After that they went into the bedroom of the daughter where they got about four laptops because it’s a study room and a bedroom together attached and three cell phones. Then they started demanding for money and the daughter produced some money and gave them but they still demanded for more. In the process, the wife who went to hide in he main bedroom contacted the neigbours and luckily the phone went through so the neigbour was able to hear what they were saying, so he quickly drove there since its not a very long distance. They got away with about K7,000, four laptops, three cellphones and other small items that they could not account for at the time. The complainant who was the husband sustained a cut in the left finger by use of the weapons. ”

Zulu said that two of the suspects have since been picked to help with investigations in the matter.