Police cite upsurge in rape cases this year

JIMMY LWANGILI

DIRECTOR of Criminal Investigations (DCI), Commissioner of Police (CP) Robert Boazi speaks during a press conference about the country’s crime trends for 2017 at the Police Headquarters in Dar es Salaam, yesterday. (Photo by Iddy Mwema)

POLICE have confirmed an upsurge of 0.9 per cent rape cases in comparison to last year. Making the revelation, Director of Criminal Investigations (DCI), Robert Boaz, told reporters in Dar es Salaam yesterday that according to the crime statistics from January to November, this year, offences reported were 11,620 in comparison to 11,513 recorded during the same period, last year.

He cited the offences as murder, rape, defilements, children theft and dumping of children as well as human trafficking. The DCI said the statistics pointed an increase of 478 rape cases that is equivalent to 6.8 per cent this year, where 7,460 cases reported from January to November in comparison to 6,985 cases reported last year.

He explained that the data shows defilement cases to have increased from 16 cases between January-November 2016, to 25 during the same months, this year, a difference of 9 cases that is equivalent to 56.3 per cent.

“In this group of offences, rape and defilement cases seemed to have stemmed from high sexual desires, moral decays and superstitious beliefs in the communities. I advise the public to maintain good morals and ignore superstitions to decrease the cases,” he advised.

However, he pointed out that the general crime cases have dropped to 61,794 cases reported between January-November 2017, in comparison to 68,204 cases recorded between the same period last year, calling it a downslope of 6,410, equivalent to 9.4 per cent. He said the crimes included armed robberies and car and livestock theft, further detailing that this year they recorded 29,677 cases in comparison to 34,830 reported last year.

Mr Boaz pointed out other crimes as illegal possessions of firearms, government trophies, corruption, illegal fishing, illicit drugs and illegal immigrations, all recorded as 18,971 cases this year against 20,000 cases of last year.

For the traffic, the DCI said statistics indicate 5,537 cases this year in comparison to 9,550 cases recorded last year, a decrease of 42 per cent. He said the traffic offences resulted into 2,491deaths and 5,696 injuries this year, in comparison to 3,108 deaths and 8,898 injuries recorded during the same period last year.

“The accidents were as a result of poor infrastructure, negligence of road users and speeding. The force is taking measure to control and decrease such road accidents,” he said.

In another development, the police have cautioned the general public to observe and maintain peace when celebrating Christmas and New Year holidays, adding that security would be tightened in all places of worship and beaches, among others, where the revelers would gather.