Bill proposes 20-year jail term for illegal arms By Cyrus Ombati
The Government has formulated a new Bill that proposes to impose a 20-year jail term for illegal possession of firearms.
The draft Bill, which has been formulated with the involvement of the Commissioner of Police Hussein Ali, is ready for presentation to the Attorney General.
It provides that anybody found with an illegal firearm, including home-made guns, and toys be sentenced to 20 years in jail without the option of a fine.
Yesterday, Ali said possession of firearms will be treated as serious crime and that offenders will not be liable for bail.
"This measure is aimed at combating proliferation of small arms and light weapons that are used to commit of violent crimes in the country," he said.
The initiative is the latest in a chain of proposals that the police have made in response to the wave of violent crime. Currently, illegal possession of a firearm is classified as a petty offence and is bailable.
Cap 63 of the Penal Code states that anyone found in possession of illegal firearm is liable for imprisonment for a term not less than seven years and not more than 15 years.
"Any person who, without reasonable excuse, carries or has in his possession or under his control any firearm or other offensive weapon, or any ammunition, incendiary material or explosive in circumstances, which raise reasonable presumption that it is intended to be used or has recently been used for a purpose prejudicial to pubic order is guilt and liable for imprisonment for a term not less than seven years and not more than 15 years."
The same penalty is applicable to anyone who consorts with or is found in the company of a suspect arrested while in possession of a firearm.
Speaking during an interview with The Standard, Ali described proliferation of small arms as a thorn in the flesh of the police force, which needed immediate attention.
He regretted that there were no proper records on gun ownership in the country but said over 50,000 guns were in the wrong hands.
Neither are there well-kept records on the category of firearms imported into the country. He said lack of inventories had made it difficult for authorities to deal with the spread of weapons.
Proliferation of illegal firearms has been blamed for the rise violent robberies and murders in the country.
Meanwhile, police have issued new procedures of acquiring a civilian firearm certificate, which among other things states that the applicant must obtain prescribed forms from the local Officer Commanding Police Station.
http://www.eastandard.net/hm_news/news.php?articleid=19244*FW Note: Gee, sound anything like IL House Bill 2414? Do you
still believe that it can't happen here?
:?
