Phala Phala linked firearms criminal jailed for 20 years

A man mentioned in former South African spy boss Arthur Fraser's explosive affidavit about the theft of $580 000 from President Cyril Ramaphosa's Phala Phala ranch was sentenced to an effective 20 years in prison for the illegal possession of 12 semi-automatic weapons stolen from the Namibian police's armoury. Urbanus Shaumbwako was sentenced in the Cape Town Regional Court last week to 15 years for each of the 12 guns found in his possession. He was also sentenced to two years for obstruction of justice, one year for reckless driving, and two years for three charges relating to making changes on a gun without permission or a gunsmith's licence, reports News24. The illegal firearms sentence will run concurrently, so with the other sentences, he gets an effective 20 years in prison. Shaumbwako was arrested for speeding away from a roadblock in Cape Town on 18 October 2020. Summarising the events, Magistrate Vanya Botha said he drove recklessly through red traffic lights to get away and threw the bag of guns under a taxi. The guns were neatly wrapped in plastic and pieces of fabric, which Botha said indicated a level of planning.

The magistrate had harsh words for Shaumbwako's contribution to the proliferation of illegal firearms in the Western Cape. ‘Illegal firearms are the prominent cause of violent crime and robbery in this court's area of jurisdiction.’ She said when he threw the guns away during the chase, he also endangered people because he did not know who could pick up the guns and use them. Although Shaumbwako changed his not guilty plea to guilty, he refused to say who he got the guns from and who they were destined for. He was found guilty in this case on 24 February, reports News24.

Full News24 report