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Ivan Zhakata-Herald Correspondent

CRIME, including traffic offences, in Zimbabwe decreased by 13,7 per cent from 206 300 reports recorded during the first quarter to 178 031 recorded during the second quarter of this year while the new prisoner population decreased from 12 558 to 11 930 during the same period according to the 2023 second quarter Prison admissions and discharges statistics report.

According to the report, crime rates were 1 359,1 per 100 000 population for the first quarter and 1172,9 per 100 000 population during the second quarter.

Presenting the statistics, Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (Zimstat) public relations manager Ms Mercy Chidemo said all the provinces witnessed a decline in crime between the first and the second quarter.

Zimstat publishes statistics on levels and trends of crime in Zimbabwe based on police-recorded crime data. The figures excluded crimes that have not been reported to the police.

“The most committed crimes were non-injurious traffic violations that accounted for 56 490 offences and a rate of 372,2 per 100 000 population while the second most committed offence was theft with 35 295 offences and a rate of 232,5 per 100 000 population,” she said.

“A total of 10 268 burglaries were recorded during the second quarter. During the same period, there were 290 victims of intentional homicide, reflecting a rate of 1,9 victims per 100 000 population while a total of 3 148 sexual violence offences and 2 905 cases of fraud were recorded during this period.”

On prison population Ms Chidemo said of the 11 930 new prisoners admitted during the second quarter of 2023, 11 072 were male and 858 were female.

The new male prisoner population declined from 11 707 to 11 072 and the population of new female prisoners increased slightly from 851 to 858.

Ms Chidemo said the prison statistics shed light on the prison population, the number and profile of prisoners admitted into, and those discharged from the country’s prison facilities.

She said when compared to the 2023 first quarter, the prison population declined from 23 982 to 20 635.

“The male prison population declined from 23 341 to 20 035 while the female population declined from 641 to 600,” Ms Chidemo said.

“Among the 20 635 prisoners held in Zimbabwe’s prisons during the second quarter of 2023, 15 329 were sentenced and 5 306 were not sentenced. A total of 14 853 prisoners were discharged from prison during the second quarter of 2023.

“Of these, 14 009 were male and 844 were female and of the 14 853 prisoners who were discharged from prison, 9 612 were sentenced and 5 241 were not sentenced. Most sentenced prisoners who were discharged during the second quarter were released after being granted amnesty followed by those who were sentenced to community service and those whose sentences had expired.”

She said the majority of prisoners not sentenced were discharged after paying bail or obtaining free bail.

Ms Chidemo said the highest proportion of new male and female prisoners were between 20 and 24 years, followed by those aged between 25 and 29.

“A majority, 96,3 percent, of new prisoners were Zimbabwean nationals and most of the new prisoners reported that they were unemployed before their imprisonment,” she said.

“The most common of the crimes committed by new prisoners were theft, assault, burglary, robbery without firearms and domestic violence. This distribution seems to mirror that of crimes that led to the imprisonment of new male prisoners.

“The crimes that led to the imprisonment of female prisoners were mostly theft, assault, migration and drug-related offences. More than a quarter of the crimes that led to the imprisonment of male prisoners aged 60 years and above were rape charges.”

Ms Chidemo said new non-Zimbabwean prisoners had committed mostly immigration-related offences and trade or possession of protected or prohibited species of animals and plants.

She said unemployed male prisoners were mostly admitted for theft, assault, burglary and robbery without a firearm while unemployed female prisoners were mostly admitted for theft, migration related offences, assault and drug-related offences.