Mbabane – The Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS) has raised concern over illegal firearms remaining in the hands of criminals, saying their continued use in violent crimes threatens the safety of communities despite the month-long firearm surrender amnesty.
National Commissioner of Police Manoma Vusie Masango said the occurrence of firearm-related incidents during September’s African Union Firearm Surrender Amnesty Month indicated that many unaccounted-for firearms remained in the hands of criminals.
The police recorded 14 incidents involving illegal firearms during the amnesty month, including six armed robberies and five attempted murders. Three men were also arrested in separate operations, one for possession of an illegal firearm and two for possession of live ammunition.
The figures highlight the danger posed by illegal weapons, which the police say continue to be used in robberies, attempted murders and murders, sometimes resulting in the loss of innocent lives.
“As a Police Service we will not rest until we recover all illegal firearms which are in the wrong hands,” he said.
The incident occurred around midnight on October 5, 2026, when the suspects allegedly broke into a house where a 32-year-old woman and her children were sleeping. The gang reportedly held the family hostage, demanded money and stole E3 500 and cellphones before forcing them to march to another homestead in search of a 32-year-old male relative.
The intended target had already heard the commotion and hidden himself. At the second homestead, an elderly man fought back against the armed intruders, shooting one of the suspects in the chest and killing him at the scene. The remaining gang members fled, abandoning their accomplice’s body.
Police officers who arrived at the scene recovered a loaded pistol containing 17 live rounds, together with an extra magazine, from the deceased suspect. A manhunt was launched for the remaining suspects.
The incident adds weight to the police’s concerns about illegal firearms remaining in the hands of criminals. National Commissioner of Police Manoma Vusie Masango has urged Emaswati to report such weapons and work with the police to make communities safer.
He further encouraged members of the public to report anyone in possession of illegal firearms, assuring them that their anonymity would be guaranteed.
The amnesty gave Emaswati in possession of illegal firearms the opportunity to surrender them to the police during September without facing legal consequences or prosecution under the initiative. However, Masango expressed disappointment that firearm holders had not taken advantage of the opportunity.
Through the “Isibhamu akusilo lifa” message, the police continue to stress that a firearm should not be retained simply because it belonged to a deceased relative. Reporting and surrendering illegal weapons remain important steps towards reducing the risks they pose to families and communities.
The police have reiterated their commitment to recovering illegal firearms and urged communities to help ensure that weapons do not remain in the wrong hands.
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