CHAPTER 24:01
ARMS AND AMMUNITION

ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS

    SECTION

PART I
Introduction

    1.    Short title

    2.    Interpretation

PART II
Administration

    3.    Commissioner of Police and licensing officers

    4.    Arms and Ammunition Quota Board

    5.    Central Arms Registry

PART III
Importation and Exportation of Arms and Ammunition

Importation of Arms and Ammunition

    6.    Prohibition of importation of arms and ammunition

Registration of Arms and Ammunition

    7.    Registration of imported arms and ammunition

Exportation of Arms and Ammunition

    8.    Prohibition of exportation of arms and ammunition

PART IV
Restrictions as to Possession of Arms and Ammunition

    9.    Restrictions against possession of arms and ammunition without a licence

    10.    Exemptions from holding licence

    11.    Production of arms licence or certificate

PART V
Manufacture, Repair and Conversion of Arms and Ammunition

    12.    Restriction on manufacture of arms and ammunition

PART VI
Sale and Transfer of Arms and Ammunition

    13.    Restrictions on sale or transfer of arms or ammunition

    14.    Registration of arms dealers

    15.    Separate places of business

    16.    Register of arms dealers

    17.    Powers of Minister in case of offences by registered arms dealers

PART VII
Records, Storage and Safe Custody

    18.    Register of transactions in arms and ammunition

    19.    Storage and safe custody

    20.    Loss of arms or ammunition to be reported

    21.    Destruction of arms

PART VIII
Appeals

    22.    Appeals

PART IX
Miscellaneous Provisions as to Arms and Ammunition

    23.    Special types of arms and ammunition

    24.    Possession of arms and ammunition by young persons

    25.    Use of arms to resist arrest

    26.    Dangerous acts with arms

PART X
General

    27.    Restriction on convicted person possessing arms or ammunition

    28.    Service of notices

    29.    Offences

    30.    Regulations

Act 20, 1979,
S.I. 116, 1979,
S.I. 89, 1981.

An Act to provide for the control of Arms and Ammunition.

[Date of Commencement: 31st December, 1981]

PART I
Introduction (ss 1-2)

1.    Short title

    This Act may be cited as the Arms and Ammunition Act.

2.    Interpretation

    In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires—

    "air gun" means any weapon, whether of smooth or rifled bore, from which a missile can be projected by means of compressed air or other gas;

    "ammunition" means any cartridge or percussion cap designed for use in the discharge of arms and includes gunpowder and grenades, bombs and other like missiles, whether capable of use with those arms or not, and any munition containing or designed or adapted to contain any noxious liquid, gas or other thing;

    "arms" means any lethal barrelled weapon of any description from which any shot, bullet, or other missile can be discharged or which can be adapted for the discharge of any shot, bullet or other missile, and any weapon of whatever description designed or adapted for the discharge of any noxious liquid gas or other thing, and includes the barrel, bolt and chamber and any other essential component part of any that weapon;

    "arms dealer" means a person who by way of trade or business sells, transfers, repairs, tests or proves arms or ammunition;

    "arms dealer's licence" means a licence issued under section 14;

    "arms licence" means a licence issued under section 9;

    "arms of war" means artillery of all kinds, apparatus for the discharge of all kinds of projectiles, explosive or gas-diffusing, flame-throwers, bombs, grenades, machine-guns and rifled small-bore breach-loading weapons, or such arms as may be prescribed, but does not include sporting rifles, or personal or other weapons or apparatus not intended for warlike purposes;

    "Board" means the Arms and Ammunition Quota Board referred to in section 4;

    "Commissioner" means the Commissioner of Police;

    "customs officer" means an "officer" as defined in the Customs and Excise Duty Act (Cap. 50:01);

    "export permit" means a permit issued under section 8;

    "game warden" has the meaning as defined in the Wildlife Conservation and National Parks Act (Cap. 38:01);

    "import permit" means a permit issued under section 6;

    "licensing officer" means an officer appointed under section 3(2);

    "manufacturer's licence" means a licence issued under section 12;

    "munitions of war" means ammunition for use with arms of war;

    "registration certificate" means a certificate issued under section 7;

    "Registry" means the Central Arms Registry referred to in section 5.

PART II
Administration (ss 3-5)

3.    Commissioner of Police and licensing officers

    (1) Subject to the provisions of this Act, the Commissioner of Police (in this Act referred to as the "Commissioner") shall be responsible for the administration of this Act.

    (2) The Commissioner may appoint such police officers as may be necessary, to be known as licensing officers, to assist in the administration of this Act.

4.    Arms and Ammunition Quota Board

    (1) There shall continue to be the Arms and Ammunition Quota Board which shall consist of the Commissioner and such other persons as the Minister may, by notice published in the Gazette, appoint.

    (2) The Board shall be responsible for regulating the importation and exportation of arms and ammunition into and out of Botswana.

    (3) Regulations may provide for the procedure governing the functions of the Board under this Act.

5.    Central Arms Registry