Increase in murder cases worry police . . . 46 killed in 2017

AT least 46 people were murdered in various parts of the country since the beginning of the year, with some of the cases due to crimes of passion and armed robberies, police have said.

This comes as the force and its counterparts in the region recently conducted a research to analyse the nature and extent of murder crimes.

Of the 46 killed, 40 were murdered in January alone, while the other six were killed this month.

Chief police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba said the force was concerned with the murder cases.

“The Zimbabwe Republic Police is concerned with the increase of murder cases occurring in the country,” she said. “A joint research conducted by SADC countries to analyse the nature and extent of crimes of passion in the region indicate that in general; the majority of passion killing occur between a husband and wife. Passion killing cases are as a result of infidelity, jealousy, poverty, unequal power relations, drug abuse and cultural beliefs. The 31-35 years age group is mostly involved in passion killing and most perpetrators are men.”

Snr Asst Comm Charamba said: “The research has been vindicated in our country where, 40 murder cases were recorded in the month of January 2017 alone and six murder cases were recorded in the first week of February.”

She said in two cases that were investigated by the police, a female adult was found lying dead in a pool of blood in a bushy area near Helvetia, Borrowdale Stables, Harare on February 3 at around 10.30am.

Investigations revealed that a 32-year-old man hired a sex worker for the night before gruesomely slitting her throat with a broken bottle following an altercation over payment.

Snr Asst Comm Charamba said in the second incident, a 21-year-old female adult of Maphapha Village under Chief Sitaudze in Zezani, Beitbridge, was found in the bush on February 3 around 3pm.

She was last seen being assaulted by her boyfriend, who then ran away after committing the crime.

“The Zimbabwe Republic Police is equally concerned with the rampant use of firearms in the commission of offences such as armed robbery and murder,” she said.

She urged members of the public to seek counselling when confronted with marital problems and that they should involve church and community leaders.