28s accused’s illegal guns

ALLEGED 28s gang boss Ralph Stanfield has lost his bid to have his confiscated firearms returned, after his appeal was dismissed in the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) on Monday.

The court found that the police minister and the acting national commissioner of police established that Stanfield, his wife Nicole Johnson and his sister Francisca obtained their licences unlawfully and were not entitled to possess the firearms.

The guns confiscated by the police form part of evidence the State is going to present in the matter against Stanfield, his wife, sister, three former police officers who were based at the Central Firearm Registry (CFR) in Pretoria and other co-accused, in an alleged gun-smuggling case in the Khayelitsha Regional Court. It’s the State’s case that Stanfield, his wife, his sister and their associates, before and in the period December 2013 to June 2014, participated in gang activities and fraudulently got hold of firearm licences, firearms and ammunition.

“The police minister and acting national commissioner of police contended that the three are guilty of several offences for failing to comply with the provision of the Firearms Control Act. The principle evidence is contained in the affidavit of Jan Bezuidenhout, who is employed as a data capturer for the CFR in Gauteng North.

“Olifantsfontein, where they applied for their licences, falls within his jurisdiction. Bezuidenhout alone is responsible for the receipt of new firearm applications from the Provisional Firearms Liquor and Second Hand Good Office in Gauteng North,” the SCA judgment said.