Staff Witer
Home affairs minister Dr Albert Kawana has urged all those who have unlicenced guns to surrender them to the police with effect from Wednesday.
Kawana was speaking during the African Gun Amnesty Month event in Windhoek.
“Any person who complies with this call will be exempted from prosecution, during the Amnesty Month, namely, 1st to 30th of September 2021,” Kawana said.
He added that Namibia must continue to be a beacon of peace, safety, and security.
Police Inspector General Sebastian Ndeitunga said during the 2018/19 financial year, the police recorded 50 cases of murder where firearms were used as compared to 31 in 2019/20 and 33 in 2020/21.
In a report he gave during the commemoration of the Africa Amnesty Month, Ndeitunga said the police recorded 408 cases of robbery with aggravating circumstances during 2018/19.
He further said in 2019/20, there were 414 while in 2020/21 the police recorded 418 robberies with aggravating circumstances cases.
“These statistics illustrate a slight increase in the crime of robbery with aggravating circumstances, a concern as it negatively affects our country both socially and economically,” Ndeitunga explained.
Furthermore, he said 158 cases of attempted murder with a firearm were received during 2018/19: 161 cases during 2019/20 and
134 during the 2020/21.
There were 362 cases of pointing of firearms during 2018/19, 301 during 2019/20 and 256 during 2020/21.
Ndeitunga said it is worth to note that cases of theft of firearms declined from the 143 recorded during 2018/19, 114 during 2019/20, and 114) during 2020/21.
He said these statistics are evident that crime involving firearms are negatively affecting the country.
“I therefore express my appreciation to the Namibian Government for its commitment for having implemented the African Amnesty Month. This will no doubt encourage individuals who possess illegal firearms and ammunition to surrender them to the police,” he said.
