Cape Town – A former police officer who was stationed at Parliament is expected to appear in the Bellville Magistrate’s Court alongside his co-accused after they were bust for illegal possession of a firearm.
According to the Western Cape provincial police spokesperson, Captain Frederick van Wyk, officers attached to the Delft Crime Prevention Unit noticed a known gang member driving a silver VW Polo on Thursday.
He said officers tried to stop the vehicle but the driver sped off.
A chase ensued and officers stopped the vehicle in Belhar.
“Inside the vehicle a 9mm short with no rounds was found. The four occupants were arrested for illegal possession of a firearm. It transpired that one of them is a former police warrant officer of PSS (Protection and Security Service) stationed at Parliament and that the vehicle belongs to him,” van Wyk said.
The former policeman was dismissed in January last year.
The firearm was tested and police established that the firearm’s owner, a Pretoria resident, had died in 2019
The firearm was never reported stolen.
Van Wyk said the matter has been handed over to detectives attached to the Anti-Gang Unit (AGU) for investigation.
In an unrelated incident, police members attached to the Provincial Extortion Task Team received information about an illegal firearm and drugs being held at a house in Adriaan Louw Street, in Montana, just before 2am on Saturday.
“On arrival the members found one Gabalondo CI Victoria 32 SW revolver and five .32 rounds in a drawer.
“After further searching the premises, mandrax tablets with the estimated street value of R15 000 was also confiscated,” Van Wyk said.
No one has been arrested yet.
Later that day, the same team arrested a suspect in NY113, in Gugulethu, for drug trafficking after the suspect was found in possession of 467 mandrax tablets with an estimated street value of more than R20 000.
The suspect is expected to appear in the Athlone Magistrate’s Court soon.
IOL