Masvingo crime rate shoots 13% as murder increases
Simbarashe Mtembo
MIRROR REPORTER
MASVINGO –Crime in Masvingo shot up 13% in 2022 with murder, armed robberies, stock theft and copper cable theft being the most prevalent crimes, Constitutional Court Judge, Justice Rita Makarau has said.
Makarau said this at the official opening of the 2023 legal year at the High Court in Masvingo on Monday.
This legal year’s theme is; ‘Promoting Competence and Quality of Service to Enhance Public Confidence in the Judiciary’.
Mukarau said the statistics were confirmed by the Officer Commanding Masvingo Commissioner David Mahoya during a briefing.
The opening was attended by Judicial Service Commission (JSC) secretary Walter Chikwanha, Chiefs Council President Senator Fortune Charumbira, Masvingo Mayor Councillor Collen Maboke, and Masvingo Urban MP Jacob Nyokanhete, service chiefs, lawyers and senior Government officials.
She said high crime rate must be of concern to all because it has the effect of retarding social and economic development.
“I however wish to attend to one or two highlights from the briefing that I received from the Officer Commanding Masvingo Province. Of immediate concern is that general crime has gone up by 13% from last year. The prevalent crimes in the province of Masvingo are murder, armed robberies involving firearms, stock theft and theft of copper cables.
“These prevalent offences have the effect of retarding social and economic development in the province and effort must therefore be taken by all of us here present to play whatever roles we can as a community to reduce crime in the province of Masvingo,” said Makarau.
