Detective denies giving gun to ‘priests’ who promised to pray for him

A detective from Mthatha who allegedly lied about being robbed of his service pistol in Port Elizabeth in September 2017, pleaded not guilty to all the charges against him in the Port Elizabeth Regional Court on Tuesday.

Warrant officer Mninawe Nqunqa, 39, was arrested for allegedly giving his firearm to two Nigerian “priests” who had promised to pray for him.

He was released on R2,000 after appearing in court.

Police spokesperson Colonel Priscilla Naidu said Nqunqa was not suspended as an internal investigation was under way.

The case has been provisionally set down for November 6.

The strange incident, which happened in front of Port Elizabeth’s Grand Hotel in Prospect Hill, Central, on September 15 2017, was captured on CCTV cameras outside the hotel.

Nqunqa is based at the Madeira detective branch in Mthatha.

He pleaded not guilty to charges of defeating the administration of justice.

He also pleaded not guilty to theft and providing a firearm to a person who was not permitted to possess it. He initially reported that he had been robbed of his 9mm pistol, cellphone and wallet.

At the time of the alleged incident, Naidu said video footage from outside the hotel showed that Nqunqa had met the two men outside.

He then got into his vehicle where he allegedly handed over his firearm.

“He allegedly said he wanted them to pray for his misfortunes,” she said. –