Durban — A 26-year-old man was convicted and sentenced for being in possession of an unlicensed firearm.
Hawks KwaZulu-Natal spokesperson Captain Simphiwe Mhlongo said: “On Wednesday, the Greytown Magistrate’s Court convicted and sentenced Siboniso Zondi, 26, to eight years’ imprisonment of which four years were suspended for five years on condition that he is not found guilty of a similar offence during the period of suspension”.
Mhlongo said the conviction and sentencing emanated from November 25, 2021, when the Hawks members from Pietermaritzburg Serious Organised Crime Investigation squad received information about Zondi who was in possession of an unlicensed firearm in the Ngome area near Greytown.
He said the Hawks members went to his house and a search was conducted.
“During the search, members found a 9mm pistol with eight live rounds of ammunition. Zondi was placed under arrest and charged with possession of an unlicensed firearm as well as ammunition,” Mhlongo said.
“Zondi made his first court appearance and he was granted bail. He then attended court several times until he was sentenced on Wednesday. He was further sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment for possession of unlicensed ammunition, but that sentence will run concurrently with the first sentence. Thus, Zondi will serve four years’ direct imprisonment,” he added.
Meanwhile, in an unrelated incident, suspected drug dealers were arrested in possession of drugs worth more than R1.6 million and firearms.
Police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda said that a swift response by the police led to the arrest of two suspects who were found in possession of a substance suspected to be cocaine, pink crystals, six firearms and firearm parts as well a large amount of money at a residence on Laughton Drive in Glenashley, Durban North on Wednesday morning.
Netshiunda said that the discovery was made when a sheriff had gone to the premises to attach certain items within the property. After he identified himself, the suspects refused to open the gate and reportedly started loading bags into a vehicle.
Upon realising that one of the suspects was armed, the sheriff notified the police who responded swiftly.
“During a subsequent search of the vehicle, police found suspected drugs stashed inside a bag, one rifle, two automatic shotguns, two pistols, a home-made pistol, ammunition of various calibre, as well as firearms parts. The recovered drugs have an estimated street value of R1 600 000. The suspects were also found in possession of six passports of different nationalities,” Netshiunda said.
He said the two suspects, aged 45 and 75 years old, were expected to appear before the Durban Magistrate’s Court soon on charges of dealing in drugs and unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition.
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