269 unregistered firearms surrendered to police

Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, Online Reporter

OVER 269 unregistered firearms have so far been voluntarily surrendered to the police countrywide following the recent amnesty granted by President Mnangagwa a month ago.

Police have also urged members of the public to surrender ammunition.

Last month, members of the public who were in possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition were granted an amnesty by President Mnangagwa to voluntarily surrender them to the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) by September 30 and face no criminal charge. The call came after cases of abuse of firearms, often unregistered, have been on the rise, with unlicensed owners committing heinous crimes such as murder.

To combat the scourge, the President granted the amnesty in line with Article 12 of the Sadc Protocol on the control of firearms, ammunition and related materials.

In an interview, national police spokesperson, Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said 269 unregistered firearms had been recovered.

“As at 4 September 269 had been returned under operation ‘Firearm Amnesty’ since the start of the operation on 8 August. We applaud those who have taken heed of the directive by the President of the Republic, His Excellency Dr Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa to surrender firearms, however we are concerned as people are just surrendering the firearms and not the ammunition,” he said.

Asst Comm Nyathi added: “We fear that this ammunition will be used for criminal activities if not surrendered, which is what we are trying to do away with through this amnesty in the first place.”

Police advised those holding firearms to surrender them at their nearest stations between August 8 and September 30 with no criminal charges against them.

National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Nyathi said during the period police will conduct physical checks and verifications on all residential and business premises where illegal firearms are suspected to be.

He urged the public to take advantage of this grace period or face the arm of the law.