OFFICER Commanding Midlands province, Senior Assistant Commissioner Conneli Dube, last week said the province had recorded a spike in criminal cases between January and November this year, with sexual abuse dominating the statistics.
BY BRENNA MATENDERE
Dube was addressing an awards ceremony for police officers in Zvishavane district last Thursday. The awards were sponsored by platinum miner, Mimosa.
“General crime in Midlands province increased by 21% from January to November 2018 as compared with the same period last year. A total of 3 657 cases were reported in the Midlands from January to November as compared with 3 010 for last year,” he said.
Dube called on police officers to be alert and watchful so they could reduce the crime rate.
Out of the over 3 657 cases, 405 cases were of a sexual nature compared to 367 cases recorded during the same period last year, with 281 perpetrated on juveniles, especially those with mental challenges.
Last month, acting Midlands police spokesperson, Assistant Inspector Ethel Mukwende, said it was worrisome that relatives constituted the biggest number of perpetrators.
“As Zimbabwe Republic Police, we have observed that rape cases occur at any time of the day in both urban and rural areas. Young girls and women are violated by close relatives or people they know, and sometimes by strangers,” Mukwende said.
