The two principal suspects linked to the murder of seven people and the theft of 43 cattle in Lukulu District, Western Province, have been shot dead during a police operation.
According to Rae Hamoonga, the suspects, identified as Numbo Mate Mubita, 41, and Chiteta Kayombo, 25, were killed while attempting to escape police custody.
Police say the two suspects were leading officers to the Kashasha area, where they had allegedly hidden a firearm believed to have been used in the killings that occurred at Kamboyi Village in Lukulu District last weekend.
Mr. Hamoonga explained that during the operation, one of the suspects reportedly retrieved the concealed weapon and opened fire on the escorting officers. The pair then attempted to flee from the scene.
Police officers returned fire, fatally wounding both suspects.
Following the incident, officers recovered an AK-47 rifle believed to have been used in the murders. The firearm had its serial number defaced and was found together with three rounds of ammunition.
The two men had been under investigation as the main suspects in the killing of seven people and the aggravated theft of 43 cattle from Kamboyi Village, a crime that shocked residents of Lukulu and surrounding communities.
Police say investigations into the broader circumstances surrounding the murders and cattle theft are continuing.
