Two brothers, one of them based in Botswana, have appeared in court for illegally possessing a firearm and four rounds of ammunition.

They were both remanded out of custody to January 4 on $200 bail each.

The state had opposed bail arguing that the two brothers were facing a serious offence and were likely to abscond before the firearm had been returned from forensic investigations to ascertain if any crimes had been committed in the country using it.

The two indicated that they were pleading guilty to the offence.

“I admit being in possession of the firearm and ammunition. I had taken them from my young brother Linos and buried them in the river bed,” said               Sikhululo.

Linos said: “I am the one who picked up the firearm in a pit in Gaborone in Botswana and brought it home. After I told my brother about it, he came and took it away.

“We are the ones who went and advised the police about the firearm leading to our arrest.”

Prosecutor, Mrs Rose Sibanda said on Christmas Day, police officers who were manning Tshitshi police base received information that the two brothers were in possession of a firearm and ammunition.

They made a follow up and managed to locate Linos who admitted that they had the gun and it was in Sikhululo’s possession.

The police together with Linos went to Sikhululo’s house and the firearm, a Z88 pistol with serial number TQ097483, was recovered from the field wrapped in a newspaper.

Four rounds of ammunition which were in a container were recovered in the house leading to the pair’s arrest.- state media