FIREARMS amnesty declared early August is set to end today, with 538 guns having been surrendered to the authorities.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa in August declared an amnesty on all illegal firearm holders to voluntarily surrender them to their nearest police stations with no questions asked.
The amnesty followed a spike in armed robberies and other offences involving the use of firearms throughout the country.
In a statement yesterday, national police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said: “The 2022 Presidential Firearms Amnesty on voluntary surrender of firearms and compliance with a police verification exercise, which came into force on August 8, 2022 has seen 538 firearms and 260 rounds of ammunition being voluntarily surrendered to the police as at September 29, 2022.”
He said those who failed to beat the deadline would be charged.
“The Zimbabwe Republic Police urges those who are yet to surrender their firearms to utilise the opportunity before criminal charges are preferred against anyone who will be found in possession of unlicensed firearms during the pending physical check exercise to be conducted by the police on all residential and business premises where illegal firearms are suspected to be kept or hidden.” The amnesty also covered those in possession of weapons which were smuggled into the country. Police also noted the illegal possession of arms by former employees and children of deceased gun licence holders.
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