MBOMBELA – A man suspected of stealing live ammunition for a .375 calibre rifle from his employer, as well as performing illegal rifles alterations and allegedly supplying rhino poachers with rifles and ammunition, has been arrested.
The police’s Hawks received information from a local arms dealer who suspected that his employee had stolen live ammunition. Upon checking the CCTV footage the suspicions were confirmed and the man was arrested yesterday.
“The suspect admitted to having stolen the rounds and led the police to a house of a man he claimed to have been the intended recipient of the ammunition. The said man was not found at his house after several police visits but the search for him is continuing,” Hawks spokesman Brig Hangwani Mulaudzi said.
The arrested suspect was found in possession of numerous air rifles, as well as firearms parts which were identified as pieces of a 12 Gauge shotgun, a Cylinder tube for a R4 or R5 military firearm, pieces of chamber locks for a .303 Mauser rifle as well as silencers.
Mr Calvin Meshack Mbuyane (52) briefly appeared briefly in court today and has been remanded in custody until Monday.
“Mbuyane, was employed as a general gun smith labour and was allegedly altering firearms as numerous hand tools were found at his house as well as visible alterations to pieces of firearms found in his possession. He is also suspected to have been supplying rhino poachers with ammunition as the calibre rounds which he stole from his employer are the ones commonly used by rhino poachers. It is also believed that he is allegedly responsible for repairing firearms for rhino poachers. Investigations are continuing,” Mulaudzi concluded.
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