A 28-year-old man was shot and killed during an armed robbey at the Cocktrust settlement in the Calcata area on Sunday night. According to the spokesperson for the police in the Mopani area, Capt Maano Sadike, a group of gunmen had proceeded to the victim’s shop during the night of the incident.

At that stage, the victim was in the company of his business collegue inside the shop. On arrival at the shop, the gunmen tied the two shopkeepers’ hands behind their backs with a piece of rope. During the ordeal, another business partner arrived at the scene.

He was from buying some stock for the shop in Hazyview Town. When he arrived, the gunmen tied his hands behind his back as well. They then ordered him to hand over the keys for the vehicle which he was driving. They drove away with the bakkie, a Toyota Stallion, full of goods. One of the victims managed to phone the police and a friend while the gunmen drove off. The gunmen met the police who were going to the scene along the way. What followed thereafter was a shootout between the police officers and the gunmen.

During the shootout, the victims’ friend, whom they phoned together with the police shortly after the robbers had left with the vehicle, arrived at the scene. He allegedly joined in the shooting. The statement indicates that the victims’ friend was shot in the back during the shooting drama. He died in hospital later that night. The deceased is Mohammed Riwaz (28). The gunmen managed to drive away and vanished during the incident. No arrest has been made at the time of going to press. The police have appealed to anyone who has information regarding the case to contact them at Tel 0860 010 111.