07 May 2018

Issues of drugs and alcohol abuse are problematic in Maun, with marijuana leading, according to Inspector Keotshwaretse Molatlhegi of Maun police.

Inspector Molatlhegi, who was addressing old Disana residents at a community wellness day in Maun said 36 cases of possession and trading with marijuana were recorded in the year 2016, 46 cases in 2017 and 40 cases already recorded since beginning of 2018, a trend that shows growth in such cases.

She said the perpetrators were mainly youth aged between 17 and 39. She said cocaine use was not that rife with one case recorded in 2016 and no cases recorded in 2017 and 2018.

Inspector Molatlhegi however said the other drug making waves among youth commonly known as CAT was found in Maun with three cases recorded in 2016, five cases recorded in 2017 and two cases in 2018.

She also said the other worrying trend was that of incidents related to abuse of alcohol and substances such as murder, defilement and rape in which perpetrators showed signs to have been under the influence of something.

Inspector Molatlhegi said 15 lives were lost in the year 2016 due to murder, 12 murder cases were recorded in 2017 and four murder cases were recorded in 2018.

She said 101 cases of rape were recorded in 2016, 84 cases in 2017 and 15 rape cases were recorded in 2018.

She said the rape cases took places at drinking sprees or in those localities.

Inspector Molatlhegi said defilement cases related to substance abuse were 20 in 2016, 18 in 2017 and six reported by far in 2018.

She called on the community to combine efforts in addressing alcohol and drug abuse and the social ills, which result from such.

Inspector Molatlhegi also commended Old Disana residents for planning the community wellness day. ENDS