adminFreedom Mupanedemo Midlands Bureau
Police in Gweru rural have intensified campaigns against crime, amid revelations that stock theft was the most prevalent crime in the rural areas last year.
Addressing local chiefs and members of the business community at Gweru rural police station last week, Gweru rural officer-in-charge Chief Inspector Samuel Tadzaushe said combating crime needed concerted efforts between the police and the community.
He said the community played a pivotal role in helping reduce crime through assisting the police with leads, as well as being witnesses when a police case has been brought before the courts.
“We are gathered here to have an introspection of our operations during the year 2017,” said Chief Insp Tadzaushe.
“As the police, we had crimes of concern in Gweru rural throughout the year and these crimes of concern, which kept on recurring, include stock theft, murder, rape and robbery.
“As the police, we need to work together with the community, the traditional leaders and the business community in the fight to eradicate crime in our society. This is in line with our organisational client charter.”
Chief Insp Tadzaushe said they were concerned with the increase in stock theft cases that occurred in Gweru rural in the past year, urging the business community and traditional leaders to work closely with the police to make sure that all cattle were cleared by the police before being sold.
He said police arrested over 20 people in Gweru rural in connection with stock theft last year, where about 10 cases were processed by the courts, with the offenders getting the mandatory nine-year jail term.
“We had a case of Tapiwa Mamvura of Plot 1 Umsungwe Block who was sentenced to nine years in prison for stocktheft; there is also that of one Lawrence Mutsanga of Watershed who was also sentenced to nine years in prison for stock theft,” said Chief Insp Tadzaushe.
“These are some of the many cases, which we, as the community, need to tell people out there about the dangers of. We don’t want people to rot in jail, so lets conscientise each other.”
In line with the police client service charter, Chief Insp Tadzaushe said, members of the public had the right to access police services at any given time and should feel free to ask for mobile numbers for any police officer despite their rank.
“You have the right even to have a mobile number for the officer commanding the province, and any cases that have been reported either through a phone call or direct at the police station should be attended to within the shortest period of time,” he said.
“If there are any delays in police response, members of the public have the right to take the complaint further.”
Chief Insp Tadzaushe said in some instances, lack of resources was affecting police work.
“In our case here at Gweru rural police station, we do not have a vehicle at the moment after it broke down,” he said.
“ However, that must not be an excuse. We should work as a team and assist each other so that we attend to cases in time in line with our client service charter.”
Speaking at the same gathering, Chief Gambiza of Chiwundura commended Gweru rural police for working hard in trying to combat crime under its jurisdiction.
“Their efforts and zeal for work in promoting a zero crime Gweru rural must be commended and supported,” he said.
Online Reporter