ORLANDO Pirates midfielder Benson Mhlongo was yesterday arrested in Mpumalanga on charges of being in possession of an unlicensed firearm.

Police found the firearm in Mhlongo's white BMW on the R40 road between White River and Nelspruit.

He was arrested with five other occupants of the car and charged with being in possession of an illegal gun.

Mhlongo was charged with Mlungisi Nkosi, 22, Siyabonga Mhlanga, 35, Precious Bunde, 20, Bonny Ngobese, 21, and Thokozane Mbatha, 32.

Except for Nkosi, all the accused were given R1000 bail. Nkosi's bail was set at R2000 because the court heard that he had a pending murder case.

Nkosi and Mhlongo's mothers are apparently sisters.

Captain Leonard Hlathi said the police also found 13 rounds of ammunition during the arrest.

"The gun, which had its serial number filed off, was found in the boot of Mhlongo's car," Hlathi said.

The case was postponed to November 3.

Mhlongo has not been in action for a while after he sustained a knee injury last season when Pirates played a league game against AmaZulu.

But he is not the first player to find himself on the wrong side of the law.

• Mandla "Metroblitz" Sithole, a former Pirates forward, was arrested on a murder charge. The case is still continuing.
• Ernest "Botsotso" Makhanya, a former Pirates midfielder, was accused of taking part in a bottle store robbery.
• Police had to be called in after a case of "disturbing the peace" was laid against Jeffrey Ntuka, who now plays for SuperSport United. This was allegedly after an alcohol-fuelled party in the Vaal area. Ntuka later admitted that he had a weakness for the forbidden waters.
• Thabiso "Skapie" Malatsi - a former Kaizer Chiefs midfielder - was recently in the news for bashing a man on the head with a brick over "a loose draw" (a cigarette). This after the player had been arrested for allegedly beating up his girlfriend.
• Lerato Chabangu, once touted as the next best Bafana Bafana striker, has been involved in all kinds of trouble with the law. He once found himself in the news for allegedly fighting with a man in a Thembisa, Ekurhuleni, tavern.
• Bryce Moon of Lamontville Golden Arrows was involved in a fatal car accident in which a woman lost her life.
• Steven "Schillo" Pienaar was arrested in England on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol.
• Sibusiso Zuma found himself on the wrong side of the law after he was caught driving at high speed.
• Doctor Khumalo, the legendary "16V", was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol after crashing his German sedan into the back of a minibus taxi.
• George "Rubber" Mathiba, a former Mahwelereng Real Rovers and Umtata Bucks player, shot an unknown man in Mthatha.