Connect Stories Reporter
Midlands Province is facing a disturbing trend as murder cases continue to rise, with police expressing deep concern over the perpetual loss of precious lives.
In a recent feedback meeting organized by the Zimbabwe Union of Journalists (ZUJ) on tackling crime in the province, Midlands police spokesperson Inspector Emmanuel Mahoko revealed that Midlands had the highest number of murder cases in the country.
Inspector Mahoko highlighted that these murder cases often stem from various criminal activities such as violence, robbery, and unlawful entry, emphasizing that the issue is pervasive across all districts within the province.
“We have observed through reports that murder is on the rise in all districts of the Midlands province. Lives are being lost as a result of assaults in homes, business centres, mining communities and residential areas,” he said.
He emphasized on the need for community involvement in fighting crime and urged all stakeholders, stating, “Lives are being lost unnecessarily, we really need to self-introspect and correct where we are missing it as a community,” said Inspector Mahoko
Inspector Mahoko highlighted the importance of community engagement and stressed the urgent need for collective action in crime prevention to help prevent further tragedies.
“Crime is committed in public, against the public, by members of the same public, thus someone must have knowledge about the committed crime. With the involvement of the public, we can prevent or detect crimes more effectively,” he urged.
In efforts to address the rising murder rates, the police have implemented policing initiatives and strategies such as Neighborhood Watch Committees, informer systems, and encouraging the development of community-based security arrangements.
The statistics from the Judicial Service Commission as of 2023 highlight the severity of the situation, with Midlands Province leading with 379 handled murder cases, followed by Matabeleland South 223 and Bulawayo with 168, Mashonaland West with 151 followed by Harare at 143, Manicaland at 107, Masvingo at 81, Mashonaland Central at 63, Matabeleland North Province had the least murder cases at 23, followed by Mashonaland East with 45.
Below is the data in a bar graph from high to low murder cases in the country
The police have stressed the need for members of the public to respect the sanctity of life as violent crimes continue to claim more lives.