Violent crime surge in Central District
Due to failure by some people to control their emotions as they continue to exhibit lack of control, the Central District has seen an increase in violent crime emanating from disputes that usually lead to unnecessary deaths.
Violent crime in this troubled area is undeniably a serious issue of concern as people no longer value the sanctity of human life choosing to kill whenever it suits them. Being the investigators of such cases, the police revealed that fights that lead to serious injuries or deaths continue to spiral out of control despite the intervention of the law in the form of death penalty.
Quizzed by Mmegi about these issues, No. 2 District Officer Commanding, Senior Superintendent Paul Oketsang said misunderstandings that usually lead to fights amongst lovers, friends, drinking mates and family members that could have been easily resolved without violence, continue to tear the district apart. He said over the years, people have lost their lives due to petty fights, which could be said to be a reflection of an angry society.
Murder
Oketsang said this first quarter of the year, from January to March 2024 they already recorded 12 murder cases as compared to five murder cases recorded the same period last year. He said the degree to which recorded cases of women dying at the hands of their intimate male partners is at a higher rate in his policing area. This is followed by murders that started as fights amongst men killing other men in disputes especially at shebeens and bars when they are intoxicated.
Oketsang revealed that murder cases involving intimate partners, especially boyfriends, girlfriends, and ex-lovers, continue to spiral out of control mostly emanating from feelings of rejection and jealousy.
“These are usually triggers to kill mostly to men than women hence men mostly are the perpetrators and women are victims as they mostly focus on the negatives,” Oketsang said.
Grievous harm
As for grievous harm, Oketsang said they have recorded 12 cases as compared to 13 cases recorded the same period last year. He said this is an offence in which victims were left with permanent harm or injuries like fractures.
“It is of great concern that some people were left disabled because of petty fights that could have been easily avoided, a clear indication that people are no longer able to control their emotions. We continue to record cases in which people have fought to a point of harming or killing each other just because one of them had mistakenly stepped on another,” he said.
Unlawful wounding
Regarding unlawful wounding, Oketsang disclosed to have recorded 71 cases this year as compared to 66 cases recorded the same period last year stating that it is most common offence in which sharp objects like knives were used. “We have observed that men, who are mostly the perpetrators of these offences as compared to their female counterparts, are aggressive and too quick to wield knives in misunderstandings. This statistics are a reflection that knife-related crimes are high in my policing area,” he said.
Oketsang said it is of great concern that people choose to resolve disputes through violent means, the behaviour they have established to be worsened by alcohol intake because they usually occur at entertainment spots when people are intoxicated. Sadly, the senior police officer said some of these cases end up as murder.
He said when doing regular stop, question and search they frequently find young men in possession of offensive knives and they suspect that they are the one that give them the confidence to fight whenever they are involved in misunderstandings.
Area coverage
Oketsang’s area covers Serowe policing area which has 12 police posts (in Mmashoro, Paje, Mabeleapodi, Sehunong, Tshimoyapula, Mabeleapodi, Mogorosi, Thabala, Mabuo, Moiyabana, Malatswai and Majwanaadipitse,
Palapye policing area has six police posts (being Radisele, Mogome, Mokware, Pilikwe, Maape and Mohalapitsa and Palapye central which has four police posts in Lecheng, Gootau, Malaka and Matlakola.
Another policing area is Serule which covers Foley, Gojwane, Topisi, Moreomabele, Damochujenaa and Dimajwe. Moreover it covers Maunatlala policing area which has six police posts in Tamasane, Moremi, Lesenepole, Maokatumo, Lerala and Seolwane. Oketsang said amongst these areas, the Serowe policing area remains the most prevalent and they are struggling to establish what could be fuelling these cases because other areas also have shebeens and other entertainment spots.
Police interventions
Even though their efforts continue to fall into deaf ears, Oketsang said as a way of trying to curb this scourge, they have been having community outreach programmes and workshops targeting men and herdsmen (badisa) who are mostly perpetrators of these offences pleading with them to avoid disputes through violent means.
Furthermore, Oketsang stated that they continue to hold kgotla meetings pleading with members of the public especially the youth pleading with them to change their behaviour and parents pleading with them to mould and teach their children about crime at a younger age.
At national level, these also remain a concern because police Easter holidays overview recently revealed a sharp increase in murder cases with 10 recorded murder cases as compared to six during the same period last year. Oketsang said these high incidents call for a shift in societal mindset to address this scourge.