$23 000 fine for firearm and ammunition

A first-time offender has been fined a total of $23 000 for illegally possessing a firearm and ammunition, as Justice Laurie-Ann Smith-Bovell highlighted tougher penalties intended to curb gun crime and the loss of young men’s lives.

Keshawn Kadarah Callender was ordered to pay $20 000 immediately for illegally possessing a .380-calibre Kel Tec automatic pistol and was fined a further $3 000 for possessing three rounds of ammunition on November 26, 2024.

Pointing to the amended Firearms Act, under which a first offence carries a prison sentence of no less than 10 years and no more than 20 years, Justice Smith-Bovell said, “This recent amendment by Parliament, which increases the penalty for firearm possession, reflects the fact that the illegal possession and use of firearms, resulting in the loss of life, primarily of young males in our communities, continue to plague society and it is the State’s intention to arrest this behaviour.”