WINDHOEK – A taxi driver from Windhoek who went to the Katutura Police Station to report his firearm stolen found himself at the wrong end of the law.
While laying a charge of theft at the police station he was arrested and charged with failure to safeguard a firearm and arraigned in court. Semi Iilonga (43) was slapped with a fine of N$4 000 or 12 months’ imprisonment by Magistrate George Mbundu after he pleaded guilty to the charge. According to Iilonga he went to a shebeen to pick up a passenger on Monday and since he was previously warned by the police not to carry a firearm into a shebeen he concealed the 9mm Beretta pistol in his taxi, while he went to look for his passenger.
On his return, he told the magistrate he discovered that his firearm was missing. On a question from the magistrate whether his car was broken into he replied that he suspects that someone opened it with a key, since his car was intact except for the missing pistol. He went on to say that he could not take the pistol home to secure it first, because it was too far from where he was. The firearm is registered in his name, he told the court and added that the police confiscated the license when he was arrested. The current whereabouts of the pistol remains unknown, which irked prosecutor Ian Malumani even more. He argued in aggravation of sentence that the negligence of Iilonga to secure his firearm could result in other peace loving citizens losing their belongings or worse their lives through illegal activities perpetrated with the missing Beretta. Malumani argued that the court should send out a strong message to other gun owners that the court will not tolerate slack handling of such dangerous weapons. Iilonga in mitigation told the court that his job as a taxi driver is dangerous and that is why he purchased the firearm.
He also told the court that he is an unmarried father of four minor children aged 15, 9, 6 and 2 respectively and earns a salary of approximately N$2 500 per month. He asked the court for mercy and promised never to repeat the offence again. However, Magistrate Mbundu said while he appreciated the fact that Iilonga is a first offender who pleaded guilty at the first opportunity presented to him, he did agree with the prosecutor’s sentiments that the missing firearm is bound to be used in some illegal activity such as robbery or even murder. He said it is every gun owner’s duty to make sure that their firearms are always secure.
By Roland Routh