Mnangagwa's amnesty nets 105 guns in 9 days

The two month long amnesty on illegal firearm holders to voluntarily surrender the weapons to police has seen 105 firearms being brought to the police in just nine days of the operation.

According to police, 15 more firearms were surrendered on Tuesday, bringing the cumulative total to 105.

"The ZRP (Zimbabwe Republic Police) reports that on 16/08/22, fifteen (15) firearms were surrendered, to the Police, under the operation ‘Firearms Amnesty', bringing the cumulative number of surrendered firearms to 105," police said.

Earlier this month, President Emmerson Mnangagwa declared an amnesty on all illegal firearm holders to voluntarily surrender the lethal weapons to their nearest police stations with no questions asked.

This followed a spike in armed robberies and other offences involving the illegal use of the weapons throughout the country.

The window for the surrender of the dangerous weapons runs from August 8 to September 30 this year.

No criminal charges are being preferred against those volunteering the weapons during the stipulated period as long as they comply with the provisions of the Presidential Amnesty.

The amnesty also covered those in possession of weapons which were smuggled or illegally brought into the country.

Police also noted the illegal possession of arms by former employees and kins of deceased gun licence holders.