At least nine suspected cash-in-transit robbers from SA and Botswana were killed in a gun battle with police in Gaborone after a heist at a mall.

The shoot-out on Wednesday with Botswana police came two days after a similar bloody scene played out on the streets of Johannesburg where police exchanged gunfire with alleged cash-in-transit robbers. Eight suspects died during this incident and 10 were arrested.

Botswana’s assistant police commissioner Dipheko Motube said, “nine men aged between 20 and 35 of Botswana and SA origin died in an exchange of fire with members of the Botswana Police Service ... at Phase 2 location in Gaborone”.

“This follows an incident in which 11 armed men attacked and robbed a Security Systems Cash-in-transit motor vehicle of over P986,000 [about R1.3m] at the main mall.

“The robbers fled the scene and were later followed and confronted by the police. An exchange of fire ensued, resulting in fatal injuries to some of the robbers. The police have in the process arrested a 30-year-old Motswana woman who was in the company of the robbers.”

Four pistols, an AK-47 assault rifle and an undisclosed sum of cash were recovered from the alleged heist gang.

The Daily News in Botswana reported overnight that the death toll had risen to 10.

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