Crime situation in Mbeya Region improves

JIMMY LWANGILI

THE Mbeya Regional Police Commander (RPC), Mr Dhahiri Kidavashari has said that at least the crime situation in the region from January to December 2016 has slightly declined by 1.4 percent compared to last year.

He told the ‘Daily News’ by phone yesterday that a total of 22,079 criminal offences have been reported in Mbeya from January to December this year compared to 22,833 reported in 2015.

He said incidents of serious crime this year were 1,977 compared to 2,083 last year. According to the RPC, minor crimes reported from January to December were 20,102 compared to 22,750 offenses reported last year. He mentioned offences arrested due to the joint policecivilian effort during crackdowns and patrols in 2016 were 605 compared to 620 registered last year.

“We have been cooperating with the people and other stakeholders in an effort to deal with crime and criminals -- and we have achieved big success, including the reduction of serious crime in our region,” said Mr Kidavashari.

He listed the achievements of the police force in the region this year as including confiscation of 19 guns whereby two sub-machine guns (SMGs), eight shotguns, one rifle, nine home-made guns, three pistols and 136 rounds of ammunition were seized. Also, two motorcycles used to facilitate bandits’ movements were seized-- one of T-Better make with registration number T 520 CDC and King Lion make with number T 481 CTA.

“Nine suspected bandits were arrested in separate operations conducted in the region whereby four suspects died during the exchange of fire with the law enforcers. Five suspected bandits have already charged in court,” he explained.

According to him, 142 illegal immigrants were arrested, including 14 Somali nationals, 76 Ethiopians, 12 Burundians, and 34 Malawians. Also seized were 435 kilograms and 794 grams of marijuana, three marijuana farms of 2.5 hectares each.

They arrested 80 grams of heroin, 792 liters of a local brew commonly known as ‘gongo’ and a distillery for making the same. Meanwhile, on traffic offences, a total of 56,798 cases of road accidents and violation of road safety rules were reported between January and December.

Mr Kidavashari said there were 352 accidents reported in the region this year, compared to 434 for last year. Out of them, 157 accidents reportedly caused the death of 182 people -- compared to 172 accidents reported to have caused the death of 231 people last year.

The accidents that caused injuries this year were 195, in which 467 people were injured compared to 262 accidents that injured 458 people last year. A total of 1,775,970,000/- was collected as fine for traffic offences this year compared to 1,142, 870, 000/- in 2015.