A 27-year-old Jamaican national was sentenced to more than four years in prison, after pleading guilty to unlawfully possessing a high-powered rifle and ammunition.
Akini Walker of Cassada Gardens appeared in court this week, where he entered guilty pleas to charges of unlawful possession of a firearm, and 18 rounds of ammunition.
The court was told that the weapon, manufactured in Belgium, is capable of firing between 650 and 700 rounds per minute, with an effective range of 1,000 meters.
Prosecutors emphasized the weapon’s extreme lethality, noting that only level three ballistic vests equipped with hard armour plates, could withstand rounds from the rifle.
According to court proceedings, such protective equipment is not currently available to police or defense force personnel in Antigua and Barbuda, highlighting the severity of the threat posed by the weapon.
Walker was sentenced to four years and four months for possession of the firearm, and two years for possession of ammunition.
The sentences are set to run concurrently.
