Article compiled by Johan Martin: Specialist Attorney. Director at Martin & De Beer Incorporated, Bloemfontein, & consultant for the Legally Armed Franchise Group
WE CONTINUE WITH THE SERIES ON DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF THE FIREARMS CONTROL ACT WHICH ARE THE MOST FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS IN THE INDUSTRY
Today we will deal with the declaration by court of person to be unfit to possess firearm in terms of section 103 of the Act.
Section 103 – Declaration by court of person to be unfit to possess firearm.
- Unless the court determines otherwise, a person becomes unfit to possess a firearm if convicted of-
- the unlawful possession of a firearm or ammunition;
- any crime or offence involving the unlawful use or handling of a firearm, whether the firearm was used or handled by that person or by another participant in that offence;
- an offence regarding the failure to store firearms or ammunition in accordance with the requirements of this Act;
- an offence involving the negligent handling or loss of a firearm while the firearm was in his or her possession or under his or her direct control;
- an offence involving the handling of a firearm while under the influence of any substance which has an intoxicating or narcotic effect;
- any other crime or offence in the commission of which a firearm was used, whether the firearm was used or handled by that person or by another participant in the offence;
- any offence involving violence, sexual abuse or dishonesty, for which the accused is sentenced to a period of imprisonment without the option of a fine;
- any other offence under or in terms of this Act in respect of which the accused is sentenced to a period of imprisonment without the option of a fine;
- any offence involving physical or sexual abuse occurring in a domestic relationship as defined in section 1 of the Domestic Violence Act, 1998 (Act 116 of 1998);
- any offence involving the abuse of alcohol or drugs;
- any offence involving dealing in drugs;
- any offence in terms of the Domestic Violence Act, 1998 (Act 116 of 1998) in respect of which the accused is sentenced to a period of imprisonment without the option of a fine;
- any offence in terms of the Explosives Act, 1956 (Act 26 of 1956), in respect of which the accused is sentenced to a period of imprisonment without the option of a fine;
- any offence involving sabotage, terrorism, public violence, arson, intimidation, rape, kidnapping, or child stealing; or
- any conspiracy, incitement or attempt to commit an offence referred to
- (a) A court which convicts a person of a crime or offence referred to in Schedule 2 and which is not a crime or offence contemplated in subsection (1), must enquire, and determine whether that person is unfit to possess a
(b) If a court, acting in terms of paragraph (a), determines that a person is unfit to possess a firearm, it must make a declaration to that effect.
- A court which has convicted a person of a crime or an offence contemplated in subsection (1), has made a determination contemplated in that subsection or has made a declaration in terms of subsection (2) must notify the Registrar in writing of that conviction, determination or declaration.
- Unless a determination that a person is not unfit to possess a firearm has been made in terms of subsection (1), a notice contemplated in subsection (3) must be accompanied by a court order for the immediate search for and seizure of-
- all competency certificates, licenses, authorisations and permits issued to the relevant person in terms of this Act;
- all firearms in his or her possession; and
- all ammunition in his or her
- A firearm and any other item seized in terms of subsection (4) must be kept by the South African Police Service or, if appropriate, by the Military Police, until an appeal against the conviction or sentence has been finalised or the time for an appeal has
Please contact the author at johan@mdbinc.co.za or Bernu van den Heever at bernu@legallyarmed.co.za
Berig saamgestel deur Johan Martin: Spesialis Prokureur. Direkteur by Martin & De Beer Ingelyf, Bloemfontein, & konsultant van die Legally Armed Franchise Groep.
ONS DOEN TANS ‘N REEKS OOR DIE VERSKILLENDE ASPEKTE VAN DIE WET OP DIE BEHEER VAN VUURWAPENS WAT GEREELD VRAE ONTLOK IN DIE INDUSTRIE.
Vandag deel ons met artikel 103 wat behels die verklaring deur `n hof van `n persoon as onbevoeg om `n vuurwapen te besit na skuldigbevinding.
Artikel 103 – Verklaring deur hof van persoon as onbevoeg om vuurwapen te besit.
- Tensy die hof andersins bepaal, word ‘n persoon onbevoeg om ‘n vuurwapen te besit indien skuldig bevind aan-
- die onwettige besit van ‘n vuurwapen of ammunisie;
- enige misdaad of misdryf waarby die onwettige gebruik of hantering van ‘n vuurwapen betrokke is, hetsy die vuurwapen gebruik of gehanteer is deur daardie persoon of deur ‘n ander deelnemer aan daardie misdryf;
- ‘n misdryf betreffende die versuim om vuurwapens of ammunisie ooreenkomstig die vereistes van hierdie Wet te berg;
- ‘n misdryf waarby die nalatige hantering of verlies van ‘n vuurwapen, terwyl die vuurwapen in sy of haar besit of onder sy of haar regstreekse beheer was, betrokke is;
- ‘n misdryf betreffende die hantering van ‘n vuurwapen terwyl onder die invloed van enige stof wat ‘n bedwelmende of narkotiese uitwerking het;
- enige ander misdaad of misdryf by die pleging waarvan ‘n vuurwapen gebruik is, hetsy die vuurwapen gebruik of gehanteer is deur daardie persoon of deur enige ander deelnemer aan die misdryf;
- enige misdryf waarby geweld, seksuele mishandeling of oneerlikheid betrokke is en waarvoor die beskuldigde gevonnis is tot ‘n tydperk gevangenisstraf sonder die keuse van ‘n boete;
- enige ander misdryf kragtens of ingevolge hierdie Wet ten opsigte waarvan die beskuldigde gevonnis is tot ‘n tydperk gevangenisstraf sonder die keuse van ‘n boete;
- enige misdryf waarby fisiese of seksuele mishandeling betrokke is en wat voorkom in ‘n gesinsverhouding soos omskryf in artikel 1 van die Wet op Gesinsgeweld, 1998 (Wet 116 van 1998);
- enige misdryf wat die misbruik van alkohol of bedwelmende stowwe insluit;
- enige misdryf wat handeldryf in bedwelmende stowwe insluit;
- enige misdryf ingevolge die Wet op Gesinsgeweld, 1998 (Wet 116 van 1998), ten opsigte waarvan die beskuldigde gevonnis word tot ‘n tydperk gevangenisstraf sonder die keuse van ‘n boete;
- enige misdryf ingevolge die Wet op Ontplofbare Stowwe, 1956 (Wet 26 van 1956), ten opsigte waarvan die beskuldigde gevonnis word tot ‘n tydperk gevangenisstraf sonder die keuse van ‘n boete;
- enige misdryf wat sabotasie, terrorisme, openbare geweld, brandstigting, intimidasie, verkragting, ontvoering of kinderdiefstal insluit; of
- enige sameswering, aanhitsing of poging om misdryf hierbo bedoel te
- (a) ‘n Hof wat ‘n persoon skuldig bevind aan ‘n misdaad of misdryf bedoel in Bylae 2 en wat nie ‘n misdaad of misdryf is beoog in subartikel (1) nie, moet ondersoek instel en bepaal of daardie persoon onbevoeg is om ‘n vuurwapen te
(b) Indien ‘n hof, wat optree ingevolge paragraaf (a), bepaal dat ‘n persoon onbevoeg is om ‘n vuurwapen te besit, moet dit ‘n verklaring te dien effekte doen.
- ‘n Hof wat ‘n persoon skuldig bevind het aan ‘n misdaad of misdryf beoog in subartikel (1), ‘n bepaling gemaak het beoog in daardie subartikel of ‘n verklaring ingevolge subartikel (2) gedoen het, moet die Registrateur skriftelik van daardie skuldigbevinding, bepaling of verklaring in kennis
- Tensy ‘n bepaling dat ‘n persoon nie onbevoeg is om ‘n vuurwapen te besit ingevolge subartikel (1) gedoen is, moet ‘n kennisgewing beoog in subartikel (3) vergesel gaan van ‘n hofbevel vir die onmiddellike soek na en beslaglegging op-
- alle bevoegdheidsertifikate, lisensies, magtigings en permitte uitgereik ingevolge hierdie Wet aan die betrokke persoon;
- alle vuurwapens in sy of haar besit; en (c) alle ammunisie in sy of haar
- ‘n Vuurwapen en ander items in beslag geneem ingevolge subartikel (4), moet deur die Suid-Afrikaanse Polisiediens gehou word of, indien toepaslik, deur die Militêre Polisie, totdat ‘n appèl teen die skuldigbevinding of vonnis gefinaliseer is of die tydperk vir appèl verstryk
Kontak asb. die outeur by johan@mdbinc.co.za of vir Bernu van den Heever by bernu@legallyarmed.co.za vir enige navrae wat u mag hê.
