The Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela is elated with the excellent work done by members of the police from both Middelburg Flying Squad and Kanyamazane SAPS respectively after arresting a total of four male suspects thereby recovering five pistols with ammunition and a reported stolen vehicle.
In the incident at Middelburg, two suspects were nabbed in the early hours of today, 15 June 2022 around 00:15 am for possession of unlicensed firearm with ammunition whilst at Kanyamazane two were apprehended on 14 June 2022, around 17:15 after being found with four unlicensed firearms with ammunition as well as the suspected stolen car.
According to police report, the Flying Squad members from Middelburg were busy with their normal duties, patrolling on the N4 Road towards the direction of Pretoria.
The members then noticed a white VW Polo and after stopping the vehicle which had two occupants inside, a search was conducted by the members whereby a pistol with ammunition was found hidden in a bag underneath a seat. Both the driver and his crew were immediately arrested after failing to produce a licence for the firearm. The two were charged for possession of unlicensed firearm with ammunition. The confiscated firearm will undergo ballistic tests as part of the investigation to determine if the firearm was not used in the commission of a crime somewhere.
Police cannot rule out the possibility of adding more charges to the arrested suspects.
The duo are expected to appear in the Emalahleni Magistrate’s Court on Friday, 17 June 2022 facing the said charges.
Meanwhile members at Kanyamazane were also performing similar duties of patrolling in their area when they noticed a suspicious golden Toyota Corolla. The vehicle was then ordered by the members to stop however two of its occupants somehow fled the scene but two remained.
This was followed with a search which was conducted by the members. Four pistols with ammunition were discovered inside the vehicle. The driver and his occupant were immediately arrested by the police and subsequently charged for possession of a firearms with ammunition.
The members did not end there but checked the vehicle and discovered that the vehicle was reportedly stolen at Kabokweni in March 2022 hence a charge of possession of suspected stolen vehicle was added upon the two suspects.
The four firearms will also undergo ballistic test to establish if they were not used in the commission of crime somewhere. Police cannot rule out the possibility of adding more charges to the suspects who are expected to appear at the Kanyamazane Magistrate’s Court on Friday 17 June 2022 facing a charge of possession of unlicensed firearms with ammunition as well as possession of suspected stolen vehicle.
The Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela has praised the members for their vigilance which they displayed in tackling the proliferation of firearms which contributes immensely in violent crimes. “As the police, we are so determined to win the war against crime and with the capacity and calibre of dedicated members that we have, we are sure that we will emerge victoriously. We are also encouraged by the fact that a vehicle which was previously reported stolen in March 2022 at Kabokweni was also recovered during the arrest of two suspects with four firearms at Kanyamazane” said the General.
