Turnbull again evades arrest as gun issue is cleared up
Andrew Turnbull, accused of drug possession, has again avoided arrest.
On Wednesday, he walked free even though there was a warrant out for his arrest.
On Tuesday, Turnbull was ordered to hand himself over to the Beacon Bay police station the day after a warrant was issued over his alleged pointing of a firearm at another East London man.
The warrant somehow managed to escape the attention of a Randburg prosecutor on Wednesday August 29, when Turnbull was granted bail of R5,000 in his drug case.
However, East London police spokesperson Warrant Officer Hazel Mqala said the arrest could not take place on Wednesday.
She said the Beacon Bay police “were advised not to execute [the warrant] as he does not have a firearm on his name. He only has a gas pistol”.
Mqala would not reveal who this advice was from.
The Beacon Bay police had been looking for Turnbull since June 27 2018 for allegedly pointing a firearm at Anthony “Ant” Traub, 51, in April.
Mqala said the officers did not know of Turnbull’s whereabouts until they read of his August 21 arrest for possession of drugs on social media. Mqala cautioned that Turnbull would still have to answer to the contents of a docket being sent to the Beacon Bay police from Tableview police in Cape Town, which stated he was declared unfit to possess a firearm.
“Once they have that, they will submit the docket [to the NPA] for a decision.”
In a short response to the Dispatch on Wednesday, Turnbull’s lawyer Henry van Breda said: “Yes, we had a meeting with the police and provided the police with a statement and necessary documents.
“As a result thereof, it was agreed that there will be no arrest at this stage; and the docket will be submitted to the prosecuting authority for their decision.”
An outraged Traub told the Dispatch that he feared for his life and that of his family.
However, Traub said he had not lost hope in the law.
“In the future the law will catch up with him. I just hope they get this guy off the street so that people can be safe.”