Durban - One of KwaZulu-Natal’s “most dangerous” criminals, wanted for a series of murders and cash-in-transit heists - including one at a petrol station in Durban this month - has been shot dead by police.
Boni Xulu, 25, was shot dead - at his dwelling in Cato Manor when police, armed with a warrant of arrest, tried to confront him.
He is believed to have been part of a gang that had recently attacked the Peter Mokaba (North Ridge) Road Engen petrol station armed with AK-47s and fled with an undisclosed sum from a cash-in-transit van.
They also robbed the petrol station of its takings and the CCTV footage of the dramatic attack went viral.
The footage showed cars speeding away while petrol attendants disappeared from sight.
The Durban K9 Unit and Hawks officers were part of the operation to arrest the suspect at about 11am -.
But he allegedly opened fire on police and was shot dead when police fired back.
Provincial police commissioner, Lieutenant-General Mmamonnye Ngobeni, said she was relieved that no police officers had been injured.
“I am disappointed that this thug took the easy way out and will not be thrown behind bars where he should have spent his miserable life, in prison where people like him belong,” she said.
Ngobeni said the firearm that was recovered would be sent for ballistic testing to assist in the investigation of other crimes.
“We will also do everything we can to nab his accomplices and put them behind bars,” she vowed.
Provincial police spokesman, Colonel Jay Naicker, said the suspect had kept police “on their toes”.
They were armed with a warrant of arrest and were searching shacks in Cato Manor. After identifying the dwelling with the suspect, police stormed in.
“The suspect was armed with a 9mm pistol and did not wait for the police to introduce themselves and shot at the police. Police returned fire resulting in the suspect being fatally wounded,” Naicker said.
A pistol with a serial number filed off was seized.
The man had also been wanted in connection with business robberies and attempted murder cases.
“A few weeks ago, service station employees in (Peter Mokaba Road) and security guards suffered at the hands of this criminal and his accomplices when cash boxes were taken after there was an exchange of gunfire resulting in security guards being shot,” Naicker said.
“In another cash heist that the deceased was involved in, a security guard was fatally wounded when cash boxes were taken at a butchery in Mandeni shopping centre. The suspect was also part of a criminal gang which had made life very difficult for residents at the KwaMashu hostel.”
Naicker said the warrant of arrest also related to three murder cases and an attempted murder in 2013 at the KwaMashu hostel.
Daily News