A Limpopo businessman is set to appear in court after police seized a prohibited firearm and SAPS certification stamps during a raid at Bendor Office Park in Polokwane.
Provincial police spokesperson Colonel Malesela Ledwaba said the coordinated search-and-seizure operation was conducted on Tuesday, November 18, after police received actionable intelligence about an illegal commission-of-oaths operation being run from the business premises.
Ledwaba said the information received indicated that the business was unlawfully administering oaths and certifying documents using a police-issued stamp from Westernburg SAPS.
“A search and seizure warrant was obtained, and the joint operational teams comprising the Provincial Tracking Team and the Provincial Investigation Unit proceeded to the premises,” he said.
During the search, police recovered SAPS certification stamps believed to have been used illegally, along with multiple documents that had been fraudulently certified. Officers also seized a 9mm Norinco pistol with seven live rounds of ammunition.
“Preliminary investigations revealed that the firearm is classified as prohibited, with official records confirming that it had previously been destroyed,” Ledwaba added.
The 35-year-old suspect was traced and arrested later the same evening.
He is scheduled to appear in the Polokwane Magistrate’s Court on Thursday, November 20, where he will face charges related to the possession of a prohibited firearm and ammunition, impersonating a police officer in terms of Section 66 of the SAPS Act, and violating the Justices of the Peace and Commissioners of Oaths Act.
Provincial Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe commended the team for swiftly shutting down the illegal operation.
“The abuse of police insignia and the illegal administration of oaths pose a serious threat to public trust and the credibility of official processes. We will continue to act decisively against anyone involved in such unlawful activities,” she said.
The Star
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