Crime rate declines 8pc

Blessings Chidakwa in Kadoma
Police recorded an 8 percent drop in crime in Kadoma District in the first quarter of this year compared to the past two years.

The rate had risen by 27 percent between 2017 and 2018.

According to Kadoma District Commander Superintendent Wonder Chisikwa, the increase had been evident in crimes such as murder, armed robberies and domestic violence.

He, however, attributed the decrease to numerous campaigns to combat crime in the area including relaunching their service charter annually.

Addressing a Service Charter relaunch programme at Dzete Leisure Centre, Mayflower in Kadoma, Supt Chisikwa bemoaned the crime rates recorded in the preceding year.

“I want to inform you that the crime rate is increasing in Kadoma, from January to December 2018 we recorded 38 133 cases against 30 132 in 2017, an increase of 8 007 cases translating to 27 percent implying that we have a mammoth task to combat crime as the Kadoma community,” he said.

However, according to police statistics, the crime rate has dropped during the first quarter of this year, coinciding with Supt Chisikwa’s assumption of the head of the district. During the period between January to April, 2018, 2 923 cases were recorded before dropping to 2 702 in 2019, which is an eight percent decline.

On the annual statistics between the year 2017 and 2018, Supt Chisikwa said murder cases rose to 19 after 12 cases were recorded in 2017 with most of these deaths prevalent in bars, shebeens and gold mining areas. He said police were having sleepless nights due to an increase in cases of armed robberies with 24 cases recorded in 2018 against eight in the previous year.

“We appeal for collective efforts to end armed robbery cases. Business people and gold dealers should desist from keeping large sums of money in homes as this lures robbers.

“Lately, we have been battling armed robbers terrorising our area, but l am pleased to announce that they were arrested,” he said.

Supt Chisikwa said domestic violence cases had also risen sharply with investigations pointing to infidelity as the main reason behind the cases.

“Cases of domestic violence are disheartening as in some instances they lead to fatalities or disabilities. The cases have been on the increase due to infidelity and in 2017 about 277 cases were recorded against 532 in 2018, an increase of 255 cases translating to 92 percent.

“Our advice as police is that look for mediators to resolve your differences be it relatives, church and traditional leaders, or even us (police) since all our stations are manned by community relations and Victim Friendly Unit officers who may be of great help,” he said.

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