Police on alert on New Year Eve

He said police appreciated that people should be merry on New Year’s Eve, but warned that it should not be taken as an excuse to misbehave.
“People tend to drink a lot of alcohol and drive, go around singing songs and skid their cars on parking areas and roundabouts.
“We are warning everyone to behave themselves because we will immediately detain anyone found breaking the law as we have already deployed our staff in all streets, and doubled the number of police officers at troublesome spots,” said Insp Moyo.

“This is a warning and we will not tolerate drunkenness and public nuisance. Police will detain immediately those found on the wrong side of the law because this exposes people to rape, robbery and being hit by cars.
“Some alcohol substances on the market are not only illegal, but they are also harmful to health and have serious side effects. Some can be fatal and hence we will frequent bottle stores to ensure that they do not sell alcohol to minors.

“We also urge them to stick to their correct operational times to avoid any trouble with the law.”
He discouraged the use of firecrackers and urged people to first get authority and clearance from the police.

“We will again detain those who will be shooting fireworks whether in their yards or public places. Residents need clearance before they can use fireworks because they are a danger to people if not used properly,” said Insp Moyo.
He urged members of the public to cooperate with the police to reduce crime.

“Members of the public have a role to play in helping police wipe out crime. We encourage them to lock doors, never leave valuables in vehicles at night and never leave clothes outside as that attracts criminals.
“We also encourage them to close the windows at night because some thieves have gained entry into premises through open windows. At the same time parents should monitor the movements of their children because they are also at risk of being raped by drunken men,” said Insp Moyo.
The police appealed to members of the public to assist with information about suspected criminal activities in their communities.

Matabeleland North police spokesperson Inspector Billie Dube also warned members of the public in the province to desist from rowdy behaviour tonight.
He said they would not hesitate to arrest anyone caught on the wrong side of the law.
Meanwhile, police have urged motorists not to travel at night as most accidents this festive season have occurred at night.
National police traffic spokesperson Superintendent Paul Nyathi said the death toll on the country’s roads continued to rise, with 163 lives having been lost by yesterday.

“Most accidents are occurring during the night when drivers are tired after spending the whole day working. Some drivers decide to travel at night as a way of evading the police, a development which results in accidents. Some public transport motorists travel at night because they want to make more money, putting people’s lives at risk. I would like to appeal to motorists to get enough rest before embarking on their journeys,” said Supt Nyathi.

He said drivers of haulage trucks were taking advantage of the demand for transport during the festive season and putting people’s lives in danger.
“We know that drivers of haulage trucks and other private vehicles are taking advantage of the situation and ferrying travellers from one point to the other, which is an offence. I would like to appeal to motorists to value people’s lives and desist from carrying passengers from one place to the other when they are not allowed to do so. Public service motor vehicles should stick to the terms of their road permits by adhering to their specified routes and avoid overloading,” said Supt Nyathi.

As the police move to bring order on the country’s roads, yesterday they launched a blitz at Renkini Long Distance Bus Terminus targeting vehicles operating without proper documentation.
The operation was meant to curb an upsurge of road accidents.

Meanwhile, a 13-year-old Masvingo boy died yesterday after being seriously injured in a suspected firecracker accident.
Innocent Zambezi, who lived in Hari resettlement area, suffered the fatal injuries on Saturday evening after the explosion.
He was rushed to Masvingo General Hospital after sustaining injuries on his face.
The teenager was, however, transferred to Parirenyatwa Hospitals where he died on admission.

Ms Esther Zambezi, an aunt to the late Innocent, said the family members were not sure on what really happened although they suspected a firecracker accident.
The festive season also turned gory for a Beitbridge man in 2011 when he lost two fingers after a firecracker exploded in his hands on Christmas eve. Isaiah Tadzembwa (30) of Dulibadzimu suburb bought a set of crackers at the bus terminus for his children and it exploded, severing two fingers.