‘You won’t be arrested returning unlicenced arms’

Safety and security minister Albert Kawana has warned unlicenced firearm owners that the Namibian Police will "show no mercy" after a period of firearm amnesty comes to a close at the end of the month.He reported that through the 2022 amnesty period, the police received a total of 1 312 firearms and a further 2 710 rounds of ammunition, which were surrendered voluntarily in all 14 regions.The Oshikoto Region had the highest contribution with a total of 1 239 firearms and 1 808 rounds of ammunition."The duration of amnesty month was subsequently extended for up to 2030 by the 14th extraordinary session of the assembly on silencing the guns, held in December 2020, in Johannesburg, South Africa.“All persons who surrender their illegally owned firearms, ammunition and other related materials shall not be subjected to disclosure, humiliation, arrest or prosecution.”However, “persons who fail to surrender their illegally owned firearms, ammunition and other related materials beyond the Africa amnesty month shall automatically be considered to violate national laws and the amnesty and shall therefore be prosecuted according to the national laws of the member states," Kawana said.No mercyKawana stressed to Namibian Sun that firearm and ammunition owners who were previously involved in crime will be charged accordingly upon the surrender of their firearms.In 2021, there was ambiguity around this and Kawana said Namibians should not be confused about it.Police deputy inspector-general, Anne-Marie Nainda, said the public should rest assured that they will not be charged when they voluntarily surrender firearms during amnesty month."Allow me to assure the public at large that the Namibian Police force is ready to welcome every individual to surrender all unlicenced arms, ammunitions, armaments, unwanted broken arms and other related materials, without being criminally charged or arrested for the period of 1 to 30 September," she said.

‘You won’t be arrested returning unlicenced arms’

Comments

Namibian Sun 2025-04-04

Please login to leave a comment

‘You won’t be arrested returning unlicenced arms’

Comments

Namibian Sun 2025-04-04

Please login to leave a comment

Login