A 40-year-old man unexpectedly got himself into big trouble over the weekend when vigilant police members smelled something fishy.
Captain Solomon Sibiya, the Kagiso Police spokesperson explained that on Saturday, 30 January, members of their crime-prevention unit were conducting routine patrols in Tshepisong.
At about 5.40pm, members spotted a suspicious silver grey BMW with two occupants parked under a tree next to the ZCC church.
“The police approached the suspicious vehicle and ordered the driver to get out. As he stepped out of the vehicle a black plastic bag dropped to the ground.”
Inside the bag police found 39 rounds of 9mm ammunition and a firearm.
The man insisted that he was the rightful owner of the firearm, and further claimed to have bought it at a gun shop in Lenasia.”
Police continued their investigations and found the firearm had been reported as stolen during a residential burglary in Roodepoort in August last year.
The man was then placed under arrest and detained at the Kagiso Police Station where a case of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition was opened against him.
The suspect has already appeared in the Kagiso Magistrates’ Court and was remanded in custody pending further police investigation.
“Firearms that are in the wrong hands must be reported to police immediately. They are used in most violent crimes including house and business robberies, hijackings and other violent crimes.
It is imperative that our members of the public report anyone known to be in possession of a suspicious firearm. I want to applaud my members for their bravery, positive instinct and dedication to removing such unlawful firearms,” said Brigadier Themba Maduna, the Kagiso Police station commander.
