Cleaners nabbed for theft of cop guns

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Two cleaners, who work at the uMkhomazi police station, have been arrested along with another person in connection with the theft of nine firearms from the station. The guns went missing from the station on May 11. On Wednesday police spokesperson Thulani Zwane confirmed that three suspects, including the cleaners, were charged for theft of firearms while another three had been charged for possession of firearms. Zwane said the suspects were arrested at Isipingo and uMkhomazi (Umkomaas) and police also recovered all nine firearms. The suspects are out on R1 000 bail and will appear in the Scottburgh Magistrate’s Court on August 31.

Despite commending the police on the arrests, IFP spokeperson on community safety and liaison Blessed Gwala said on Wednesday that the incident exposed lack of care on the part of the police and an inquiry into what happened was crucial.

“This is an inside job, because how did cleaners get access to the highly secure and sensitive area where guns are kept? Remember there was no break-in.

“Cleaners can’t just go in and steal guns unless someone opened for them, they don’t keep the keys,” Gwala said.

He said an investigation also needed to reveal whether the cleaners were vetted to access the armoury to do their job, adding that access would still have been monitored.

“It doesn’t make sense how two cleaners got access to the armoury, stole nine guns and exited the station with no one else knowing.

“There is a rotten potato and an investigation must reveal who that is,” he said.

KwaZulu-Natal violence monitor Mary de Haas said the case should also have serious implications for the station management.

“It shouldn’t surprise us that this is an internal thing, but the station commissioner must also answer because the buck stops with him,” she said.

De Haas said carelessness, corruption, and disregard for rules at police stations were prevalent and needed to be addressed.

“Vigilance about storing guns depends on management and it is lacking at police stations. It’s not the first time guns have gone missing at police stations,” she said.

She added that someone should be held accountable for the incident, to send a strong message to the whole police force.

It shouldn’t be impossible to find out who was responsible, she said.

“It’s bad enough that we have so many illegal firearms in the province, but when guns go missing at police stations no one is safe, including the police. When police come under fire, it may even be with police guns.”

Spokesperson for the Independent Police Investigative Directorate Moses Dlamini said the institution would investigate if a complaint alleging corruption was lodged.

The Mercury