Manenberg police’s Serious and Violent Crime Project team arrested Mo-ane Ismail, 48, in Barrydale, on Friday February 17.
He is the father of one of the five boys who were injured when the grenade exploded at the family house on Monday December 5 (“Community puzzled about grenade drama”, Athlone News, December 14, 2016).
The boys had been throwing the grenade to each other when the pin fell out and it exploded as a 19-year-old attempted to catch it.
He was rushed to Groote Schuur Hospital along with three others and his arm had to be amputated at the shoulder. The others suffered injuries to the face, abdomen, chest, and arms.
According to Captain Ian Bennett, spokesman of Manenberg police, witnesses said that the suspect had kept the grenade in the house for “a while”.
“After evading the law for two months, Manenberg SAPS detectives waited for the 48-year-old at a popular nightclub in Barrydale in the early hours of this morning and arrested him.”
He was brought back to Manenberg and appeared in the Athlone Magistrate’s Court on Monday February 20 on a charge of possession of an illegal explosive device.”
He was released on R500 bail and is due to appear in court on Wednesday April 19.
