Citation(s) from the GunPolicy.org literature library
Cross, Peter, Rick de Caris, Ettienne Hennop and Angus Urquhart. 2003 ‘Licensing - Regulation made under the Arms and Ammunition Act (Art. 6-7) - Botswana.’ The Law of the Gun: An Audit of Firearms Control Legislation in the SADC Region, pp. 12-14. London: SaferAfrica and Saferworld. 1 June
Relevant contents
Regulation made under the Arms and Ammunition Act
Art. 6
(1) An application for a permit to acquire or import arms or ammunition may be made by a registered wholesale or a retail arms dealer for the purpose of sale or by an individual for his personal use.
(2) An application under sub-regulation (1) shall be made by the applicant in person, on Form 1 set out in the First Schedule in respect of arms and on Form 2 set out in the First Schedule in respect of ammunition to a licensing officer of the district in which the applicant carries on business or normally resides…
(3) On receipt of an application to acquire or import arms under this regulation a licensing officer shall, as soon as practicable, forward the application, together with his recommendation thereon, to the Central Arms Registry:
Provided that, where the applicant is an individual, a licensing officer shall not recommend the issue of a permit unless he has personally interviewed the applicant and is satisfied that
(i) the applicant
(a) has good reason for acquiring or importing the arms;
(b) is of sound mind, temperate habits and of good character without any serious criminal conviction, and would use the arms applied for without danger to the public safety or peace; and
(c) is not less than 18 years of age; and
(ii) the issue of a permit would not be contrary to the provisions of the Act or of these Regulations.
(4) In respect of an application by an individual for a permit to import ammunition only, a licensing officer may require the production of the arms for which the ammunition is required together with the registration certificate relating thereto and shall issue the permit in Form 3 set out in the First Schedule if he is satisfied that
(a) the applicant is in possession of an arms licence for the arms in question;
(b) the arms in respect of which the application is made are in good working order;
(c) the ammunition to be imported is of the type and calibre specified in the registration certificate; and
(d) the issue of a permit would not contravene any limitation placed on the applicant's right to hold ammunition in terms of his registration certificate or of these Regulations.
(5) Where an applicant for a permit to acquire arms or ammunition is a dealer in arms, the licensing officer shall not recommend the issue of a permit unless he is satisfied that, in respect of any item applied for, the balance held in stock by the applicant is not excessive.
Art. 7
(1) A permit, in Form 4 set out in the First Schedule, applied for under regulation 6 may be issued by the Board, subject to the provisions of sub-regulation (2), through the Central Arms Registry and the licensing officer to whom the application was made.
(2) Where the Board approves the issue of a permit to a person who is not a citizen of Botswana, it shall specify that the arms for which the permit is issued shall not be disposed of within Botswana and the registration certificate issued in connection therewith shall be endorsed accordingly.
(3) A permit shall
(a) not be transferable;
(b) be valid for 12 months from the date of issue; and
(c) be surrendered to a licensing officer immediately following the acquisition of the arms and ammunition to which it relates.