Man fined for carrying bullets

Yeukai Karengezeka
Court Correspondent

A SOUTH African national arrested by the police at the Robert Mugabe International Airport after he was found in possession of five live rounds in his luggage was yesterday fined US$300 (or three months in jail).

Cuan Reed Govender (25) pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of ammunition when he appeared before Harare magistrate Mrs Ruth Moyo. The five rounds were forfeited to the State.

Govender is employed by Wiremit Private Limited, Zimbabwe, as the general manager.

Prosecutor Ms Berlinda Chimuka told the court that on Friday around 12:50 pm, Govender arrived at Robert Gabriel International Airport with the intention to board an Airlink flight to South Africa.

He was carrying a blue suitcase and a black satchel. When he placed his luggage on the screening machine, the machine detected five live ammunition rounds.

This was reported to the police and his luggage was physically searched leading to his arrest and the subsequent recovery of the five.45 live rounds in one of the pockets of his satchel.

Govender did not have a valid firearm certificate or any lawful authority to have the ammunition contrary to the provisions of the Act. Detective Constable Madi from CID Homicide Harare carried out the investigation.