The Acting Western Cape Provincial Head of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, Brigadier Ramovha, has commended the arrest of a police officer on charges of possession of explosives. The arrest was effected on 08 October 2025 by the Serious Organised Crime Investigation team based in George.
The investigation traces back to information received on 13 February 2022. According to reports, a Sergeant from the Mossel Bay Explosives Unit was contacted by a Sergeant from the Langeberg K9 unit, also in Mossel Bay. The K9 Sergeant informed his colleague of an operation scheduled for 14 February 2022, to recover a suspected M26 hand grenade.
On the day of the operation, the explosives unit was called to a scene next to the N2 highway near Kwanonqaba to examine the device. The unit confirmed the object was a live M26 hand grenade.
Initial investigations revealed that the Local Criminal Record Centre (LCRC) was not activated to process the scene and, officially, no arrest was made for the possession of the explosive device.
However, a deeper probe uncovered that an arrest had, in fact, been made by the suspect officer on 14 February 2022. Despite this arrest, the matter was never enrolled on the court roll. Subsequent inquiries identified the individual who was allegedly arrested as a registered informer.
This information led to a warrant of arrest being executed at the Langeberg K9 unit in Mossel Bay, resulting in the apprehension of the official.
The suspect is scheduled to appear before the Mossel Bay Magistrate’s Court on 09 October 2025
