01 Feb 2022

Kutlwano Police Station is on a mission to resuscitate cluster committees with the aim of protecting citizens’ rights.

This was said by N0. 1 District’s Superintendent Paul Molapisi during a crime prevention workshop in Francistown recently.

“Everyone has the right to life and freedom of expression.

In any case where these are violated, society has to be protected by enforcing law from all the relevant stakeholders, to ensure effectiveness,”he said.

He urged the community to be mindful of the ministry’s part in Vision 2036, which was to ensure a secure and safe nation using initiatives under crime prevention.

Supt Molapisi said different committees should unite with other stakeholders as station commanders, magistrates and judges to exercise the responsibility of protecting other people’s rights.

He said it was necessary to close the gaps that criminals used and that such could be achieved without finger pointing.

“Crime is on the rise and we see this through the now crucial need to escort money transporting companies by the Botswana Police Service and Botswana Defence Force on the lookout for robbers,” he added.

Superintendent Molapisi reminded government officials to be more involved in fighting crime and have policies in place to reduce crime and educate society.

Kutlwano police station acting station commander, Assistant Superintendent Alice Oabile said clusters under crime prevention should improve their performance and be in a position to act in the absence of the police.

“The relation between the police and the people should also be resuscitated to form the trust that is needed in tracking down criminals,” she said.

She expressed concern regarding the lack of cooperation by community members who refused to come forward with relevant information to get known criminals arrested.

She said it was everyone’s responsibility to stop crime which was a huge task impossible to be tackled by the police alone.

For his part, NO.1 District executive committee vice chancellor, Mr Keorapetse Senate, said maximum support and formation of community policing language was needed.

He emphasised the significance of the people in the same community living the same lifestyle to develop habits that kept criminals away.

“The Penal Code is a bible of crime, reading it and being familiar with criminal acts can not only help us identify crime in our communities but also prevent us from unknowingly committing crimes,” he said.

The clusters are expected to restructure and bring back initiatives as Ntebele ke go lebele, which used to be very effective in reducing crime. ENDS