Man arrested in CPT for murder

The man allegedly phoned the Athlone police station at about 10am on Friday to report an attempted break-in at his home in Hazendal, spokesman Lt-Col Andrè Traut said.

“He claimed that he discharged two rounds from a firearm at the alleged perpetrator, who managed to flee the scene,” he said.

When police officers arrived at the scene, they took a formal statement from him and confiscated the firearm involved.

“Later that same day, someone alerted police that there was a body concealed on the complainant’s property, prompting members to return to the address. A search of the premises led to the discovery of the body of a 39-year-old male in the backyard, as well as 25 firearms comprising various makes and calibre of pistols, rifles, and revolvers, as well as 700 rounds of ammunition,” he said.

Only eight of the firearms were licensed in his name. The man was arrested on a charge of murder and possession of illegal firearms and ammunition and detained until his court appearance in the Athlone Magistrate’s Court on Monday.

The man was also unable to account for the loss of two of his own firearms and further charges of defeating the ends of justice and the loss of firearms were under investigation against him, Traut said.