Pretoria – The South African Police Service (SAPS) in Johannesburg has arrested a 32-year-old taxi driver for possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition after he fired shots in the inner city.
Johannesburg central SAPS spokesperson Captain Xoli Mbele said the man was arrested on Sunday as he tried to hide the firearm in his trousers.
“Police were busy with their routine crime prevention duties when they heard two gunshots. They rushed to that direction, and they saw a male hiding something in his trousers,” said Mbele.
“They searched him and recovered a firearm and live ammunition. He failed to produce a license to possess a firearm. He will also be charged for discharging a firearm in a municipal area.”
Mbele said the firearm would be sent to ballistic testing to ascertain if it was used in the commission of other serious and violent crimes.
“An investigation is underway, and the suspect will appear in the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court on (Tuesday),” he said.
“Johannesburg central station commander Brigadier (Ivan) Perumal commended good work done by the police in curbing the proliferation of firearms.”
Last month, a 39-year-old man was arrested for the possession of an unlicensed assault rifle and ammunition at the Wanderers taxi rank in Johannesburg CBD.
Mbele said the man was arrested while he was in a taxi.
“Police were busy with their routine crime prevention duties of stop and search; when they searched passengers inside a taxi to Kimberly. They recovered a rifle and ammunition inside a sports bag belonging to one of the commuters,” said Mbele at the time.
“The firearm will be sent to ballistic testing to ascertain if it was used in the commission of other serious and violent crimes.”
In October, the police in Johannesburg central arrested a 38-year-old passenger, who was allegedly found in possession of unlicensed firearms in his luggage, also at the Wanderers taxi rank.
Police officers said they were conducting their routine crime prevention duties, when they performed a search on passengers in a taxi en-route to Klerksdorp.
Mbele said the suspect was found in possession of two unlicensed firearms and live ammunition in his bag.
IOL