A 27-year-old man has been arrested for being in possession of a dangerous weapon.
“The suspect was found to be in possession of a knife one Wednesday afternoon last month in Village Street in the Randfontein CBD.
This crime might seem petty, not warranting police attention, however, the Dangerous Weapons Act (act 15 of 2013) section 3 would warrant an arrest of this kind.
“The act stipulates it constitutes a crime ‘…if a person is found in possession of a dangerous weapon under circumstances which may raise a reasonable suspicion that the person intends to use the dangerous weapon for an unlawful purpose,” said Captain Appel Ernst, spokesperson for the Randfontein Police.
He already appeared in the Randfontein Magistrates’ Court on Monday. The outcome is not yet known to the Herald.
Circumstances taken into consideration when applying this act:
• The place and time the person is found;
• The behaviour of the person including the making of threats or the display of intimidatory behaviour;
• The manner in which the object is carried/ displayed;
• Whether the possession of the object was within the context of drug dealing, gang association or any organised crime or any other criminal activity; or
• Any other relevant factors including any explanation the person may wish to provide for his/ her possession of the object provided that this shall not be an obligation on the person to explain his/ her possession of the object.
Ernst continued,
The Randfontein Police are specifically focusing on the policing of this act since most of the assaults, murders and some robberies are committed not with firearms but with instruments such as knives, pangas, screwdrivers and other objects that might be considered dangerous weapons.”
Investigating officer, constable Puseletso Mofokeng can be contacted for further information regarding the case.
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