Cops warn about inherited guns

2003-08-14 11:23

Johannesburg - The police service warned on Thursday about the haphazard way in which some executors dealt with firearms in deceased estates.

Kempton Park police said an executor should help the heir to get a firearm licence, and not merely hand the weapon over to them.

Guns may be held only by people deemed competent by police, and the firearm must be registered in the holder's name.

"A heavy legal duty rests on the shoulders of executors to see to it they strictly comply with all relevant laws related to the administration of the estate of a deceased person," said the police.

They appealed to people with unlicenced firearms which came from a deceased estate to contact their lawyer or the executor so that their position could be regularised.

Lawyers, banks and trust companies should periodically check the contents of their safes.

Police sometimes found unlicenced firearms which had never been properly disposed of in the safes of executors.

In one case, the estate was wound up in 1993, but a gun was found in the executor's safe about a week ago.

Anybody with queries should contact their local police firearm registry office.

- SAPA