Guns dominate robberies

The Namibian police investigated 760 armed robberies between the 2016/17 and 2017/18 financial years, while 135 armed robberies were reported between April and July this year.Armed robberies rose from 356 over the 2016/17 financial year period, to 402 during the 2017/18 period, with 135 reported over the four months between April and July. Statistics on crimes involving firearms released by the police last week further showed that cases in which a firearm was pointed at another person totalled 770 between the preceding two financial periods, totalling 425 in 2016/17 and 345 over the 2017/18 period. Between April and July this year, 110 reports of firearms pointed at a person were made to the police. Over the 2016/17 period, 203 attempted murders involving a gun were investigated by the police, dropping to 181 over the next financial period. Between April and July this year, 55 attempted murders involving a gun were reported. The police logged 35 gunshot murders in the 2016/17 period, and 30 were reported the next financial period. Between April and July this year, 24 murders by firearm are on the investigative books of the police. The available statistics further show that between the 2016/17 and 2017/18 periods, the Namibian police investigated a total of 274 cases of unauthorised possession of firearms, with 134 reported in 2016/17 and 140 in 2017/18. Between April and July this year, 104 cases of illegal possession of a firearm were reported. Theft of firearms reported over the 2016/17 financial period amounted to 159, with 180 reported over the next financial year. Between April and July this year, 51 gun thefts were reported. Armed robbersLast year, the Institute of Public Policy Research (IPPR) published a paper on gun control and crime in Namibia, highlighting increased concern about theft of legally licensed firearms, which are often used in crimes, most notably armed robberies. Data provided to the IPPR last year showed that 1 811 guns had been reported stolen between 2008/09 and 2016/17. Of these, 620 were recovered by the police. The IPPR report found that according to available data, “murders carried out with a firearm make up only a very small proportion of the overall murder rate” in Namibia and that the trend line for firearm murders remains fairly constant ranging between 35 and 69 gun homicides per year. The majority of murders in Namibia, the IPPR study found, were carried out with weapons other than firearms, often with knives. Last month, Namibian Sun reported that a finalised draft amendment to the Arms and Ammunition Act was submitted to parliament in August this year for tabling. Proposed amendments seek to implement compulsory theoretical and practical tests to assess gun competency. Applicants for a gun licence would be required to undergo training, and officials would interview relatives, friends and others before determining whether the applicant can be issued a licence. The bill would also introduce compulsory renewal of gun licences after a set period, which was not stipulated by the ministry.

Guns dominate robberies

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Namibian Sun 2025-07-03

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Guns dominate robberies

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Namibian Sun 2025-07-03

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