Pretoria - A Cape Town soccer fan, who told security officials at a Fan Fest that he had a bomb in his bag, has been arrested and charged.
Police said 32-year-old Simphiwe Mshweshwe refused to be searched when he entered the main entrance of the Fan Fest at the Grand Parade and instead told security personnel and police that there was a bomb in his back pack.
Police spokesman Colonel Billy Jones said police warned Mshweshwe not to joke about being in possession of a bomb, because such threats were considered serious.
However, Mshweshwe repeatedly claimed that he had a bomb in his bag. "It is alleged that he repeated the verbal threat three times," Jones said.
Mshweshwe was then detained and taken to a secluded area where he was searched by the police's dog unit.
"No explosive device was found in his possession," Jones added.
Although no bomb was found, Mshweshwe was still charged because verbal threats constituted a crime, the policeman said.
Mshweshwe was charged with contravening the Explosives Act and appeared in the Cape Town Magistrate's Court, in a courtroom dedicated to World Cup related crime, on Monday night.
Mshweshwe was released on bail of R1 000 and is expected back in court on Thursday.
