Unlicensed firearm seized in Marite
After the suspect's arrest on Thursday June 23, he appeared in the Mkhuhlu Magistrate's Court the following day.
Calcutta police arrested a 26-year-old man for being in possession of unlicensed firearm and ammunition on Thursday June 23.
A statement by a provincial police spokesperson, Brig Selvy Mohlala, said Calcutta police had attended to a complaint in Marite near Hazyview on Thursday evening after being informed that two trucks had allegedly been hijacked and reportedly used to blockade the R40 where people were protesting.
“Upon arrival at the scene the police members started diverting motorists to use alternative routes,” said Mohlala.
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He said while this was happening, they spotted a suspicious Toyota Yaris with seven occupants.
“The vehicle was stopped by the members and upon searching the occupants, they discovered that one of the men was in possession of a pistol with a magazine loaded with ammunition.”
Mohlala said the serial number had been filed off and the man in possession of the gun, an Ethiopian national, reportedly failed to produce the licence thereof. He was then arrested and charged accordingly. The firearm will undergo ballistic testing to determine whether it had been used or not in the commission of other crimes.
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The suspect, Sesaye Feleka, appeared in the Mkhuhlu Magistrate’s Court on Friday June 24. He was granted R3k bail and the case was postponed for further investigation. It is unclear to when the case was postponed.
The provincial police commissioner, Lt Gen Semakaleng Manamela, said she was elated with the pace at which members are working, specifically in the proliferation of firearms in society.
