Detectives at Masoyi, in Mpumalanga, have arrested a 41-year-old man for attempted murder, and possession of an unlicensed firearm with ammunition after he allegedly discharged a firearm and shot his son.
The father was apparently cleaning the firearm when the incident happened.
Mpumalanga police spokesperson, Brigadier Selvy Mohlala said the man was on Monday expected to appear before the White River Magistrate's Court.
“According to information, an absurd incident occurred last year, in December, whereby an 18-year-old boy was allegedly shot by his father during the time he (the father) was cleaning a pistol,” said Mohlala.
“A probe had to be instituted to find out as to how the young man got shot. It was during the tour of the investigation that the men and women in blue dug deep, then unearthed information about the firearm involved,” he said.
“They discovered that the man was not the lawful owner of the firearm, but rather the weapon belonged to his late father in terms of the records.”
Mohlala said police investigators visited the father on Friday and questioned him.
“It was during this period when they discovered that he did not have a firearm license for the 9mm pistol, hence he was arrested and charged accordingly,” said Mohlala.
“As a norm in the police, the seized firearm will undergo ballistic testing to determine if it was not previously used in the commission of crime elsewhere. At this stage police cannot rule out the possibility of adding more charges against him as the investigation continues.”
Meanwhile, provincial commissioner of police in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela has raised concern about the proliferation of firearms in the province.
She said the firearms are often used in violent crimes, including incidents of domestic violence.
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