Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) Commissioner-General Godwin Matanga said that people who possess unregistered firearms shall be deemed to be planning to commit serious crimes.
Matanga said police officers will not hesitate to kill all perpetrators of serious crimes such as armed robbery.
He was speaking at the funeral wake of Inspector Maxwell Hove, who was killed in the line of duty in Hwedza by Jaison Muvevi, a former police officer. Said Matanga:
I wish to categorically state that those with unregistered firearms shall be deemed to have criminal intent.
Furthermore, as police officers, we will not hesitate to shoot to kill all perpetrators of heinous crimes such as armed robbery, which are making society apprehensive.
He said police have also noted with concern an increasing number of unregistered firearms recovered at crime scenes.
In August 2022, President Emmerson Mnangagwa granted a presidential amnesty on the voluntary surrender of firearms and ammunition.
Police assured those who surrendered their firearms that no criminal charges would be preferred against them during the period (8th August to 30th September 2022) as long as they complied with the provisions of the Presidential Amnesty. | The Sunday Mail