Maputo — Mozambican police shot dead on Saturday Reginaldo Bota, regarded as one of the most dangerous criminals in the country.

Bota is accused of committing three murders last year, including that of a policeman in the southern city of Matola.

Bota and his gang also specialised in car theft, and this was their downfall. According to Maputo City police spokesperson Abilio Quive, earlier in the day they stole a Citi-Golf, which they drove to the Maputo suburb of Malhazine.

Here they removed one of the wheels to serve as a spare for another stolen vehicle a Nissan Sentra. It was in this vehicle that Bota was driving back to his home, when he was ambushed by the police.

According to Quive, Bota tried to pull out a Makarov pistol, but a policeman was quicker and fired two shots that ended Bota's life.

The pistol was found to be loaded with eight bullets, and Bota was also carrying a spare ammunition clip, again with eight bullets, and a second pistol, with seven bullets.

Bota was prepared for "a real war against the agents of law and order", said Quive.

In this operation, the police recovered three vehicles stolen by Bota and his gang. It is not clear whether the police made any arrests, but at least one of Bota's companions is known to have made his getaway.