Durban — Nine men were stopped as they made a getaway after robbing mosque congregants in Nkandla, KwaZulu-Natal, on Friday afternoon.
KZN police spokesperson Brigadier Jay Naicker said that nine suspects were arrested for robbery at a mosque in Nkandla. Naicker said that at 12.45pm on Friday, worshippers gathered at the mosque.
“Shortly afterwards a large group of men, travelling in multiple vehicles, stormed the place of worship and held up the congregants,” Naicker said. “According to the victims, the men were all armed with firearms and they robbed them of their cash, cellphones and other valuables.”
Naicker said that police in Nkandla were notified and immediately mobilised all available police officers and other law enforcement agencies. He said that with the community’s assistance, the police were able to locate a sedan and mini-bus taxi that were used to flee.
“Both vehicles were intercepted in different locations and nine men aged between 24 and 33 years old were arrested,” Naicker said.
“Police officers seized three 9mm pistols as well as some of the stolen cellphones and cash. Investigations are ongoing and detectives expect to make more arrests soon,” Naicker said.
He added that the arrested men had been detained pending their imminent court appearance.
Meanwhile, in an unrelated incident in January, a robbery at a local mosque in Kensington in Johannesburg turned deadly when two robbers got shot.
IOL reported that congregants attending Isha prayers at the Zeenatul Islam Masjid were left traumatised when an unknown number of assailants accosted the mosque during prayer time.
At the time, provincial police spokesperson Colonel Dimakatso Sello confirmed the shooting incident.
“It is alleged that on the evening of January 17, 2023, at about 9pm three African men attempted to rob the Muslim mosque in Kensington. One of the mosque members reportedly retaliated and shot two of the three suspects, fatally wounding them,” Sello said.
Sello added that while the police attended to the crime scene an unknown person or persons started shooting. During this shootout, two people, including a police officer, sustained gunshot wounds. Both victims were taken to hospital for medical assistance.
“One suspect was arrested and two cases of murder and attempted murder as well as attempted business robbery were opened for further investigations,” Sello said.
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