Somali police arrests robbery suspect after shoot-out in Mogadishu

One of the robbers who have been terrorising motorists and pedestrians along the Taleeh Bypass was arrested after shoot-out, police said on Saturday.
Police have defended the shootings, saying the robbers refused to surrender.

Police laid an ambush shortly after the suspect and his two accomplices were reported to have been stopping and robbing passengers and pedestrians near Somali University Post-graduate Campus on the bypass.

An assortment of AK 47 riffle and knives was seized from the suspect during the 5.30am operation that was conducted by police officers from the Waberi Station.

Officer Commanding Police Division (OCPD), Hussein Sheikh Mohamed said the suspect was arrested when police found him and another man, who escaped, erecting illegal barriers using huge stones.

“We have launched a manhunt for the suspect who is at large and I think the one in our custody will help us in our investigations,” Hussein said.

Police say the suspects targeted pedestrians during the day and at night, and that there had been several attempts to arrest them.

A witness said that the suspect was in company of three other armed men near Al-Imra School where they were robbing members of the public.