This study aimed at investigating the causes of the increase of gun crimes in Katutura from 2006
to 2010. It is also investigating ways how guns are increasingly misused, factors such as
availability of guns, common categories of gun crimes, age, sex and what influences gun crime.
There are perceptions that violent crime is rife in the Katutura in Khomas Region in particular
hence some of the people have acquired licensed firearms intended for self-defense.
The research reviewed a number of aspects of the cause of the increase of gun crimes in Namibia
particularly in Katutura, including the inadequacy of existing gun control laws; the adequacy of
existing law on gun crimes, the context of gun abuse, the community most affected by it, and
vulnerable victims, the age group, gender of criminals, vulnerable victims, the police, NonGovernmental
Organisations (NGOs) NANGOF and the respondent’s suggestions to minimise
the problem of the increase of gun crimes in Katutura. This study also reviewed literature dealing
with criminals, psychological, sociological, crime and crime control theories pertinent to gun
crimes. The study used combined qualitative and quantitative methods. Structured and
unstructured questionnaires (open-ended) were used. About 30 key respondents were
interviewed. Respondents were in three categories, namely, victims of gun crimes, convicts of
gun crimes and professionals such as, the police, Members of Parliament (MPs) and NGOs. The
Police provided qualitative and quantitative data on gun crime statistics and data of the victims
for interview.
During data collection, Prison and Correctional Services availed 5 convicts in three different
categories for interview, namely, convict for gun murder, convict for armed robbery and convict
for murder and attempted gun suicide.
Among the major findings were: too many illegal guns in circulations, inadequacy in the gun
control law Act, there is a significant relationship between age and misuse of guns, and women
were found to be more domestically vulnerable to gun crimes. However, one strong evidence
from the study is that most of the problems associated with the cause of gun crimes require social
and economical intervention rather than criminal justice solutions.