Durban - A Ladysmith police detective is being investigated after 17 firearms - destined for ballistic testing in Durban - and a haul of drugs went missing under his watch.
The loss of the weapons has led to concern that the criminal cases associated with them might collapse because of lack of evidence.
And with the guns in the wrong hands, there is also fear they could be used to perpetrate more crimes.
A local police source said the detective had left the town on Tuesday last week and, on arrival in Durban, went to his beachfront hotel and locked the exhibits, including his service pistol, in his parked car overnight.
“I don’t know the quantity of the drugs, but I understand there were mandrax and 17 firearms which were to be sent for ballistic testing.
“The next day the detective discovered that the car was broken into, and the firearms and drugs were stolen,” said the source.
“He reported the matter at the Durban Central police station.”
The provincial police confirmed the incident, but would not specify how many firearms or the quantity of drugs stolen.
“We can confirm an incident that occurred on 27 January 2015 at about 8.30pm, where firearms were allegedly stolen from a vehicle at Snell Parade, Durban. Cases of theft out of a motor vehicle and negligent loss of firearm were opened at Durban Central police station for investigation,” their spokesman, Major Thulani Zwane, said.
“The merits of the case are sub judice as criminal and internal investigation continues.”
Repeated requests to Zwane to confirm the number of stolen firearms were unsuccessful.
He said he could not divulge the number because if he did, the police would be targets for criminals.
“According to the law, the detective was not supposed to leave the firearms in the car.
“I can also not confirm whether his own firearm was among the missing ones. For now the matter is (being) investigated internally so no further information can be made available,” he said.
KZN violence monitor, Mary de Haas, said there was “something fishy” in the case.
“Surely, as a policeman, he should know how to handle firearms. Why did he not deliver the exhibit first and then go to his hotel? Why did he leave firearms in the car?
“This is ridiculous and it calls for immediate full-scale investigation, not by the police, but by an independent body,” she said.
“We’re living in a virtually lawless society. Lack of a real, proper oversight body for the police is another concern because if there was, then we would be seeing results in investigations against illegal police actions.”
The DA’s spokeswoman on policing matters, MP Dianne Kohler Barnard, said it was “100 percent” against the Firearms Act to leave a firearm in the car.
“If this man really did this, then he is in trouble and no one will believe this. Firearms are big money on the street and I think this was deliberate. Now every single case linked to those firearms will collapse.
“If murder/s were committed with those firearms, those cases will now turn into unsolved murders because of lack of evidence, fingerprints and ballistic testing,” she said. “This person is either stupid to be in the police service or he is a criminal.
“I trust that the police top officials in KZN will take swift action to solve this case.”
Daily News