Police in Joburg, in conjunction with community patrollers, apprehended a 25-year-old Zimbabwean national for possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition in the city centre.
Spokesperson for the SAPS in Joburg central, Captain Xoli Mbele said the man was arrested at the corner of Noord and Twist Street on Monday night.
“Police were busy with their routine crime prevention duties when they heard gunshots. They proceeded to that direction and saw people running in different directions. (The) suspect fired another shot in front of the police (who were) wearing civilian clothes,” Mbele narrated.
“They grabbed and disarmed him (of) the firearm. He tried to resist but they overpowered him. He failed to produce a licence to possess a firearm.”
Mbele said the firearm will be subjected to ballistic testing to ascertain if it was used in committing other serious and violent crimes.
“Investigation is under way and the suspect will appear soon in the Joburg Magistrate’s Court,” he said.
In another case, the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court has found Khethukuthula Myeni, of Nancefield Hostel, guilty of robbery with aggravating circumstances and sentenced him to 15 years’ imprisonment.
Mbele said Myeni was also declared unfit to possess a firearm.
“The accused (Myeni) and his accomplice robbed China Cash & Carry at Crown Mines on the 30th of November 2020 at 2pm. They entered the shop, pretending to be customers. They pushed a manager into his office and pointed firearms at him,” said Mbele.
“They took an undisclosed amount of money and put it in a schoolbag. One of the employees screamed for help, and they ran out.”
Security guards at the scene shot one of the fleeing robbers, and paramedics certified him dead at the scene.
Two firearms and money were recovered.
“The accused was in custody until he was convicted. The conviction is a result of a quality investigation done by Warrant Officer Elliot Msibi, of the Johannesburg central detectives,” said Mbele.
“We hope this sentence will scare away would-be offenders from committing the same crime.”
