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Trust Freddy Herald Correspondent

Harare Metropolitan Province recorded 6 800 criminal cases in the first quarter, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has said.

According to official statistics released by the NPA last week, theft emerged as the most prevalent offence, with 1 828 cases, closely followed by violations of the Domestic Violence Act, which accounted for 1 521 incidents.

Of the reported cases, 3 930 have already been completed, while 2 870 are still pending.

Robbery and assault cases have also been alarmingly high, with over 700 cases of robbery and nearly 1 000 cases of assault reported during the period under review.

Fraud also emerged to be a major concern, with 581 reported cases, alongside 499 cases of unlawful entry.

The province also grappled with issues related to drug and substance abuse, with 236 individuals facing charges, as well as 101 cases of indecent assault.

Furthermore, 136 individuals were brought to court for violating Section 70 of the Criminal Law Code, which prohibits extra-marital sexual intercourse or indecent acts with young persons in Zimbabwe.

The NPA has also addressed 34 cases related to wildlife crimes while 21 were related to violation of the Postal and Telecommunications Act.

Cases of unlawful termination of pregnancy were relatively low, at nine, closely followed by violations of the Zesa Act which accounted for 10 incidents.