By: Problyn J. Alpha
The Southern Regional Coordinator for Sierra Leone National Commission on Small Arms Major Rtd. Prince C. Kombay, has encouraged citizens of Sierra Leone to have all their guns licensed and registered. He explained that the commission has the powers to regulate the possession of Arms and ammunitions in Sierra Leone.
He said the small Arms Commission came in to existence by an act of Parliament in 2003 and was later passed into law in 2010 with the responsibilities to control the self possession of guns by military, Police and some civilians in the country.
He added that the possession of Arms by either the military and Police personnel including civilians in the country is a security issue which is the more reason the government deemed it necessary to establish a separate body or structure to control the movement and use of guns in the country.
Commissioner Kombay further intimated that, the commission has the constitutional authority to ensure that all those who own guns in the country are registered and licensed. He further stated that since the establishment of the aforementioned commission in 2003, it was only based in Freetown. He continued that in 2021, the former commissioner late General Allieu, decided to decentralize the commission in the Southern and Northern provinces of Sierra Leone in order to cushion the challenges people were faced with in terms of registering or licensing their guns. After the official launch of the commission in the Southern part of Sierra Leone some times in November 2022, the internal affairs Minister gave the commission the mandate to start the registration process of guns to authenticate the possession of guns by some Sierra Leoneans.
Commissioner Kombay beseeched all and sundry to register and license their guns should they have any in their possession. He noted that the registration process of guns by the commission is not to cease guns from those who own them but rather to license the guns and provide training on how to use and keep guns.
He added that the unlawful possession of small arms is a serious crime of which he sent a strong worded warning that anybody found wanting, would be dealt with within the confines of the law. The Coordinator of the Small Arms Commission in the Southern Region further explained that the Commission is fully working in consonant with the Sierra Leone Police, the Republic of Sierra Leone Arms Forces and the office of National Security to ensure the right thing is done in the registration and licensing processes of guns in the Country.
He assured that the office of the National Security has plans to tightly monitor the 2023 general elections in order to ensure violence free elections. He concluded by stating that the registration and licensing processes would prevent those in possession of guns from going to jail.