A 25-year-old man was arrested on Wednesday in Harare Central Business District (CBD) after he was found selling a firearm. A police report seen by Pindula News says the police got a tip-off that Tanaka Rujuwa was in possession of a gun. Reads the police report:
On 05/10/22, Police in Harare swiftly reacted to a tip-off and arrested Tanaka Rujuwa (25) at Markert Square Bus Terminus for possession of an unregistered Plainsman 175 Pistol and a Mossberg round. The suspect was arrested while selling the firearm for US$1 500.
The arrest comes a week after the expiry of the Presidential Amnesty on Voluntary Surrender of Firearms and compliance with the police verification exercise.
545 firearms were surrendered as of 29 September 2022 under the amnesty.
Amnesty was announced against the backdrop of an increase in crimes such as armed robberies and other forms of crimes of passion.
Illegal possession of firearms is a violation of section 4(4)(b) of the Firearms Act and may attract a jail sentence of about 24 months, depending on the circumstances.