National police spokesperson deputy commissioner Kauna Shikwambi has called on the public to hand in illegal and unwanted guns and ammunition, following the announcement of an amnesty period.
No one will be prosecuted during this time, the spokesperson says .
The amnesty period will be launched in Windhoek’s Goreangab informal settlement at Okapale on Friday.
Shikwambi announced this in a statement on Thursday.
“During September, members of the public are urged to surrender their [illegal and unwanted] arms, ammunitions and armament without fear of prosecution,” she said.
The initiative forms part of the national strategy to reduce armed violence and allow citizens to safely surrender these items at their nearest police station without facing prosecution.
The amnesty is provided under the Arms and Ammunition Act of 1996.
The police last year warned that those who failed to surrender illegal arms by 30 September were subject to prosecution.
Shikwambi last year said a total of 1 568 firearms, 8 789 rounds of ammunition, four magazines, and seven explosive ordinances were surrendered to the police between 2021 and 2023.
She said these items were destroyed on International Small Arms Destruction Day, observed globally on 9 July 2024 each year.
