Gqeberha firearms dealer Karen Webb. (Photo: Facebook) 
A Gqeberha firearms dealer at the centre of a sprawling arms smuggling and corruption investigation has been granted bail — but Karen Webb will remain behind bars until a fresh application is heard in connection with a new set of charges, including murder.
Webb, 41, has been in custody at North End prison since February 2024. On Tuesday, Judge Gerald Bloem of the Makhanda Division of the Eastern Cape High Court overturned a magistrate’s decision to deny her bail, citing insufficient evidence directly linking her to firearms recovered from crime scenes across the country.
She was granted bail of R10,000. However, her release is conditional on the outcome of a separate bail bid relating to new and more serious charges.
The Evans connection and trafficking allegations
Webb is facing multiple charges arising from the operations of her now-defunct business, Webb’s Arms. Police allege she supplied firearms to people not legally allowed to possess them — weapons that were later used in violent crimes in Nelson Mandela Bay, the Western Cape and Gauteng.
The saga began in 2019, when another dealer, Chris Evans of Aquila Arms, approached Webb for storage after his business collapsed. Evans’ stock was kept on the Webb’s Arms premises, but the two sets of firearms were allegedly stored separately.
In 2023, firearms recovered from crime scenes were traced back to Evans’ cache — and, crucially, to weapons stored at Webb’s premises. Evans later accused Webb of stealing guns from his safe and selling them illegally.
This led to her arrest and a string of charges, including conspiracy to smuggle firearms, trading in firearms without a licence, defeating the ends of justice, theft and fraud.
According to prosecutors, Webb not only sold some of the weapons illegally, but also moved others to a property in Sedgefield without alerting police. Police have recovered hundreds of weapons registered in her name and sent them for ballistics testing, but more than 400 firearms remain unaccounted for.
Murder charge linked to Kariega shooting
Since her initial arrest, new charges have been added, including a count of murder relating to the October 2022 killing of Andrew Lamont in Kariega.
The State alleges that the .38 Special Smith & Wesson revolver used in the shooting was part of the Evans stockpile stored at Webb’s Arms. Webb is accused of handing the gun to two men, including Antonio Boyise, neither of whom were licensed to possess a firearm.
Prosecutors argue that Webb should have foreseen that supplying the weapon could lead to loss of life.
Bail battles and contraband in prison
Webb’s initial bail application was denied in early 2024. Magistrate Tobile Bara ruled that the State had a strong case and that Webb posed a risk of interfering with witnesses or destroying evidence. A second application, based on new facts, also failed.
After abandoning a subsequent bail bid when additional charges were added, Webb turned to the high court. In Tuesday’s judgment, Judge Bloem ruled that the State had not conclusively linked Webb to specific firearms used in crimes. He also considered her status as a single mother and her prolonged detention without income.
Webb will remain in custody until her next bail application is heard for the new charges. She is due back in court on 14 July.
During her incarceration, Webb has also been charged with possessing contraband after being found with a cellphone on two occasions. These were dealt with separately and not added to the main case.
Training fraud allegations under investigation
Webb is also accused of providing firearm competency training without proper certification. Her training accreditation had reportedly lapsed — yet police say she continued issuing test results to prospective firearm owners.
Under the Firearms Control Act, applicants must complete a certified theoretical and practical course before being issued a competency certificate. As a result, police are now reviewing the credentials of more than 2,000 people across South Africa who obtained their training through Webb.
Public concern over missing weapons
The case has raised alarm across the country. Hundreds of firearms once held in storage at Webb’s Arms have reportedly ended up at crime scenes. Police say many of the weapons were used in robberies and gang-related shootings.
With more than 400 firearms still unaccounted for, the Webb matter continues to expose major gaps in the country’s firearm regulation and dealer oversight. DM