Police allegedly assaults, arrests without warrant

After numerous requests to the Roodepoort SAPS to state their case with a local resident and their failing to do so, the Record decided to publish allegations recently made against them.

A Witpoortjie resident seems to have a troublesome relationship with the Roodepoort police that arrested him on charges of possession of a stolen firearm and ammunition.

The arrest was made despite police allegedly neither presenting a search warrant nor a warrant of arrest when entering his home in Witpoortjie.

Further allegations include that his wife and father were assaulted when they tried to prevent his arrest.

According to the resident he was transporting goods belonging to a previous tenant of the house that he rents out, to his own house, to make room for new tenants.

Among the goods taken from the house was ammunition, for which Roodepoort police followed, searched and arrested him. They also confiscated his personal firearm.

After allegedly spending nine days in the cells, the resident was released.

The court case of 5 July (as evidenced by a trial notice in the Record’s possession) was dismissed as Roodepoort police had submitted the wrong information about the pistol they had confiscated – the serial number of the pistol was recorded incorrectly.

It was alleged in court that the resident was in possession of a firearm (serial number submitted not belonging to him) that was stolen in Orlando East in 2011 and belonged to a certain Mr Zulu.

The firearm allegedly was used in a robbery.

After the dismissal, Roodepoort police proceeded to open a Section 102 notice against the resident (officially stamped on 8 August) in terms of the Firearm Control Act of 2000 and states that the person is unfit to possess a firearm.

This was done despite the Roodepoort police neglecting to request to see his firearm licence, of which the resident has a valid one. The resident also was able to present the Record with his South African Qualifications Authority National Certificate that states that he “was found competent against Unit Standard 117705”.

“[The resident] demonstrates knowledge of the Firearms Control Act (Act 60 of 2000) and is applicable to possess a firearm,” the certificate clearly states.

This certification is considered a National Qualifications Framework (NQF) Level 3 and qualifies the resident to use the weapon in the law, military and security fields. The resident obtained this certificate on 30 March 2009.

Both Roodepoort police and Gauteng Police official spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Dlamini have failed to confirm or comment on the events as recorded and in the Record’s possession to date, despite numerous requests.