Dar es Salaam Special Zone Police Commander Suleiman Kova

Police in Dar es Salaam have killed two suspected bandits who are believed to have been involved in the robbery incident at the National Microfinance Bank (NMB) Temeke branch at the end of last month and arrested eleven others.

Dar es Salaam Special Zone Police Commander Suleiman Kova told journalists yesterday that the two died in a shoot-out with the police when they attempted to arrest them.

He named the dead suspects as Mussa Mpemba (30), a resident of Yombo Buza in Temeke District, and Obadiah Gabriel, whose particulars were yet to be known.

Kova said the thugs were found with two firearms and eight vehicles which the law-enforcers suspect were used in the robbery in which 61,331,190 /- was stolen.

He said they were arrested at different locations in the city as they were plotting another crime. Kova mentioned that five cars were seized in Dodoma and three in Moshi.

He named those arrested as Sergeant Mathew (42), a Tanzania People's Defence Forces (TPDF) employee with force number MT.55935. The soldier resides at Kibaha in Coast Region.

Others are Anthony Solia, Hamis Matonya (30), a resident of Dodoma region, Obadiah Mwakihola (23), Isaac Swai (23), a resident of Dar es Salaam, and Deogratias Masawe (30), a resident of Mbuyuni in Moshi.

On the list also are Salum Sule(28), a resident of Dar es Salaam, Yusuph Rajabu (44), a resident of Mbagala Mwanamtoti, Boniface Joseph (34), a resident of Yombo Dovya, Japo Salimu (27), a resident of Yombo Dovya, and Said Hamis (30), a resident of Tandika .

Names of two other suspected bandits were not disclosed as police were still carrying out investigation on them, Kova said.