Erongo firearm amnesty sees slow response
SWAKOPMUND – Law enforcement in the Erongo region are worried about the slow response by community members to hand over their illegal firearms and ammunition during the amnesty period.
This was revealed by Erongo police community policing commander, Ileni Shapumba, in an interview with Nampa on Monday.
“There is not much coming forth from community members so far and last week, only one firearm was handed over in Swakopmund,” Shapumba said.
People in possession of illegal firearms and ammunition in Namibia have been given a grace period of one month to surrender all unlicensed firearms, armaments and ammunition to the police without being prosecuted.
The amnesty month was launched by safety and security minister Albert Kawana at the beginning of September.
Kawana said anyone complying with the call to surrender illegal weapons and ammunition during September would be exempted from prosecution.
Shapumba is hopeful that perhaps people are waiting until the last minute to hand in their illegal firearms or are testing to see whether they indeed will not be arrested.
“What we are saying is gazetted. You may use the law if at all something contrary happens. We know illegal firearms are among us. Those who have stolen them, those who are tired of them or those who have too many, we are really urging them to use this opportunity,” he added.
He expressed concern with those who are vulnerable and can be attacked, robbed of their firearms, which can then be used in other criminal activities. He called on them to hand them over in order to promote safety in our community.
The last amnesty period was in 2016, where 1 276 firearms, 99 509 pieces of ammunition and 81 unexploded ordnances were handed over to the police and have since been destroyed.
-Nampa