Online Reporter
Bruce Ndlovu, Sunday News Reporter
BULAWAYO has been named as the city with the highest crime rate in the country standing at 2 506,1 per 100 000 people compared to the national average of 1356,6 per 100 000.
The was highlighted by the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZimStat) which revealed that Bulawayo had the highest crime rate in the country between July and September last year.
The city is still reeling from the fatal shooting of Zimbabwe Republic Police Detective Constable Cassandra Hove by armed assailants on Thursday last week in Pumula South, Habbek area. The murder of Det Const Hove, who was part of the famed female-only Team Lozikeyi Unit, came only after the city became the scene of what is thought to be the biggest crime heist in the country’s history after an armed gang walked off with over US$4 million after executing a brazen heist at the Ecobank Parkade Centre Branch in the Central Business District last year.
According to the latest statistics from ZimStat, Bulawayo recorded the highest crime rate at 2 506.1 per 100 000 people, nearly double the national average, for the period under review. Other provinces whose crime rate stood above the national average were Harare, Matabeleland South, Midlands, Mashonaland Central, and Masvingo. The total number of offences rose to 205 925, up from 196 796 in the previous quarter, pushing the national crime rate to 1 356,6 per 100 000 people, compared to 1 296,5 in the second quarter.
The country saw a 4,6 percent jump in crime between July and September last year, with over 205 000 cases reported.
Endangering public safety and offences against State security were the most common crimes during this quarter, with 84 001 cases of that nature reported.
Cases that involved crimes were the perpetrator(s) brought harm or intended to bring harm to the victim accounted for 40 078 cases while 48 566 property-related crimes, including theft, were recorded.
The lightest statistics come after police vowed to continue the fight against criminals, particularly armed robbers.
“The ZRP reiterates that there is no going back in the fight against armed robberies and other violent crimes in the country,” national police spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi said.
