NONE of the 171 illegal guns that were turned in during the amnesty programme has been linked to any crime here, Police Commissioner Seelall Persaud told a community meeting held at the Tagore Memorial Secondary School at Number 62 Village, Corentyne, Region Six (East Berbice/Corentyne) in Berbice on Tuesday.

In fact, he said, the Force never expected criminals to surrender their weapons during the programme, which ends today. “It was not our expectation that the thieves who go around earning their living by robbing people would hand in their guns; we never expected that,” Persaud declared.

Back in September, Persaud had told reporters that if a weapon was used in commission of a crime, that factor would be discovered through ballistics testing, which was being done on all weapons handed in. He has also assured that the Police Force would not go after persons who had surrendered weapons, since those persons were immune from prosecution for possession of any illegal firearm.

“That person has absolute immunity, so he/she would not be prosecuted for possession of firearm. Immunity is only for the possession of the firearm, not for other crimes,” the Police Commissioner had said.

Further elaborating on the issue, Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum had told residents that none of the weapons handed in during the amnesty had been traced to a crime scene. He said that, of the 171 guns handed in, 90 percent has been processed. “None of them has been linked…. The spent shells that we have been retrieving from crime scenes, predominantly they are not from shot guns. They are 9mm, and (in) a few instances, we get AK-47. Only one AK-47 has come in so far.”

The amnesty programme which commenced on September 1 was given a two-week extension until October 14, 2015. All police divisions have been able to record some amount of success in the collection of illegal arms and ammunition.

Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan had warned that the administration will apply the full force of the law against gun runners and holders of illegal firearms who have refused to hand in their weapons.

The police have at their disposal the Firearms (Amendment) Bill 2013 which was passed in the National Assembly on January 17, 2014. The then PPP/C government had amended the antiquated law to include stricter penalties for offenders in an effort to curb trafficking and possession of illegal firearms.

The law stipulates that traffickers of firearms, ammunition, explosives and/or related components must face the maximum penalty of up to five million dollars in fines and 10 years in jail upon conviction and indictment at the level of the High Court.

However, a maximum penalty of $500,000 in fines and five years in prison can be meted out to offenders if the matter has been summarily tried in a magistrate’s court.

Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo and Minister of Public Security Khemraj Ramjattan, on Monday inspected the firearms and ammunition that have so far been handed over to the Police Force. Some 1457 live rounds and over 30 firearms have thus far been surrendered by citizens. “Immediately after the month ends, there will be a crackdown on all illegal weapons in a harsh manner; so bring them (illegal guns) out now, because the full force of the law will be applied to all (persons) caught (with illegal arms and ammunition) after (the amnesty has ended),” Minister Ramjattan had advised.

Ramjattan had said it was disappointing that no assault rifle has been handed in, but he underscored that the amnesty is of a voluntary nature and is not a buy-back process.

Adding his perspective as a legal mind, Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo had said he is of the view that the courts must review the granting of bail involving repeat offenders arraigned for illegal possession of firearms, or for the use of firearms in the execution of robberies. “The Firearms Amnesty opens the door to those with illegal firearms to come forward and surrender their weapons. In the remaining days, I hope to see the delivery of more weapons, and that family members of holders of illegal weapons would plead with them to come clean,” Nagamootoo explained.