11 Jul 2017

Mogoditshane Police Station commander Superintendent Agreement Mapeu has called on residents within his policing area to join hands with the police to fight the escalating incidents of crime. 

Speaking during Mogoditshane Churches with Police Walk Against Crime campaign in Mogoditshane on Saturday, Supt Mapeu said the level of crime in the village had reached an alarming rate but was disappointed by low level of churches in the village though the invitation was extended to all of them. 

Supt Mapeu noted that the police alone cannot and were not competent alone to fight this crime which seems to be souring and going out of hand. 

The worried police chief said he used to face the same situation whilst in Gaborone West Police Station, but put the situation under control through church and business operation cooperation. 

He noted that the campaign aimed at raising awareness of the role of the church in fighting crime as well as to support the police in their endeavour to fight crime through prayer. 

The campaign also aimed to encourage the congregation on the fight against crime and road safety as well as to build partnership between the police and churches and to formulate a strong crime prevention committee amongst church members. 

Supt Mapeu said one major initiative that the Botswana Police Service had undertaken over the years was the revolutionalisation of the interaction between the police and the public. 

The undertaking, he said, led to the establishment of various programmes such as crime prevention committees, neighbourhood watch, business watch schemes and the introduction of cluster policing strategy. 

Meanwhile, Supt Mapeu decried the high level of rape incidents involving victims from the age of 13 years. 

Some of them, he said, were allegedly raped while coming from night clubs under heavy intoxication and most of the victims claimed that they did not even know their molesters and where they were raped. 

He however noted that some refuse to divulge the names of their victims but simply go to the police so that they could be taken for treatment against pregnancy and HIV at hospitals. 

He revealed that as at the end of June last year, they recorded at least 34 incidents of rape while 36 cases were recorded as of June this year. 

The police also recorded three incidents of armed robbery by June last year compared to six incidents this year. 

Another thorny issue, which the police chief decried of, included murder cases, noting that this year; they have recorded five incidents of murder. 

As of this year, they have also recorded 65 incidents of house breaking and theft, 96 of burglary and theft, 40 robberies, 16 stock theft cases, 10 theft of motor vehicles, 36 store breaking and theft among others. 

The figures are worrisome as an increase in crime may adversely affect the nation at large, said Supt Mapeu. 

Meanwhile, kgosi Solomon Dihutso of Mogoditshane rebuked some mainline churches for always snubbing village activities even when they are invited. 

He said this tendency should stop as they should work together for a common purpose. 

He however called for the community involvement in the fight against crime and accidents. ENDS