POLOKWANE - Police in Mecklenburg at Burgersfort have arrested a man in his 50s for alleged negligent loss of a firearm, Limpopo police said on Sunday.
His arrest followed incidents of murder and attempted murder which occurred at about 9pm on Saturday night at Phahaskraal village, Colonel Moatshe Ngoepe said.
It was alleged that a 39-year-old man and his 29-year-old friend were at a local liquor outlet when a 26-year-old man arrived. Without saying anything, he shot both of them several times, killing the 39-year-old man instantly and seriously wounding the 29-year-old man. The wounded man was taken to hospital for medical treatment.
"The suspect was later found dead in the same premises where this incident took place, with a bullet wound in his head and the firearm lying next to his body. The motive behind this incident is not clear at this stage, but the ongoing police investigations will tell."
Police were summoned and started their initial investigations. The preliminary investigations revealed that the firearm used in the shooting belonged to the suspect's father, and subsequently the father was apprehended. He would appear in the local magistrate's court soon. Police had opened cases of murder, attempted murder, and an inquest for further investigations.
Members of the community, especially licensed firearms owners, were warned to safeguard their firearms fully in terms of the South African Firearms Control Act. Those who were found to have contravened the Act would be "dealt with mercilessly and without compromise", Ngoepe said.