MALMESBURY - Armed robberies took place at two spaza shops last night, which led to the arrest of six suspects.

At about 19:30, a group of nine suspects held the owners of these spaza shops in Holomisa Str, Ilngelethu, at gunpoint and sped away with cigarettes, cash and airtime vouchers in a white minibus taxi. The police reacted on the all-points bulletin, spotted the taxi at a filling station in Darling and instructed the occupants to exit the vehicle. They refused to comply and opened fire at the police, which resulted in two suspects being fatally wounded when the police retaliated. Six suspects aged between 26 and 33 were arrested in possession of two unlicensed 9mm pistols. One of these suspects was admitted to hospital with a gunshot wound to his leg.

The last suspect managed to evade arrest and is being sought by the police.

The circumstances surrounding the incidents are being investigated, and the death of the two suspects will be the subject of an IPID investigation.

Once charged, the suspects will be due to make their court appearances later in Malmesbury.

Editor: Anchen Coetzee
Subeditor: Wahl Lessing
Submitted by: Col Andrè Traut