17 Nov 2016

Police efforts to catch over-speeding and potentially dangerous drivers are defeated by motorists who warn others of police presence on the roads, north central divisional commander, Senior Assistant Commissioner Christopher Mbulawa has said.

Speaking in Serowe on November 16, Mr Mbulawa said continuing to warn potentially dangerous drivers about police presence on the road was detrimental to responsible road users.

He said warned drivers could be using road unworthy vehicles or worse unlicensed and thereby endangering lives, a consequence he said could have been avoided had there been no such warnings.

Mr Mbulawa said drivers who warn bad drivers were equally responsible for the road carnage caused by the warned as their actions insured that the latter evaded police where they could have been arrested and charged.

The north central police chief also called on passengers to avoid buying alcohol for the drivers in order to please them for services renderd during trips, advising that drivers should be allowed to reach their destinations without temptations to indulge in alcohol consumption.

Mr Mbulawa revealed that so far 370 lives have been lost in road carnage this year whilst 411 were lost last year.

However, the senior assistant commissioner of police warned potential commissioners of crime during the 60 days of action on crime and road safety that his charges were sharp enough to nab and put them behind bars.

Mr Mbulawa called on car owners to desist from handing out their cars to unlicensed drivers.

For a successful crime prevention, senior assistant commissioner of police called on stakeholders to partake in efforts to curb crime in the eventful last two months of the year.

He therefore encouraged business owners to engage physical fit and active people to guard their premises and those who could afford to engage security companies to avert losing their valuables.

He said it was common knowledge that individuals and companies have made savings and proceeds and criminals were out to make a killing. He also appealed to car owners not to attract thieves by displaying their valuables where they are easily identified.

As such, the north central police chief called on drivers to secure their valuables in car booths. However, Mr Mbulawa warned against relocating stuff to car booths in full view of thieves at public places like shopping malls saying such actions should be taken from starting points.

He also advised car owners to engage people to guard their vehicles at funerals where he said that it has become profitable to thieves. BOPA