EASTERN CAPE — A 56-year-old Flagstaff man was arrested for the possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition following an intelligence-driven operation conducted by OR Tambo police in the early hours of Saturday, 18 July 2026.
The arrest took place at approximately 00:15 in the Thembeni locality. During the operation, law enforcement officers successfully intercepted the suspect and recovered a 9mm pistol along with 15 rounds of live ammunition.
Subsequent investigations into the circulation of the seized weapon revealed that the firearm originally belonged to a deceased male from Germiston, Gauteng. Records indicate that the weapon was never officially reported as stolen prior to its recovery in the Eastern Cape.
The 56-year-old suspect has been formally charged with unlawful possession of an unlicensed firearm and unlawful possession of ammunition. He is scheduled to appear before the Flagstaff Magistrates’ Court on Monday, 20 July 2026, to face these charges.
