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Nqobile Tshili Chronicle Correspondent
BULAWAYO province recorded an overall 0,8 percent decrease in crime between January and September this year compared to the same period last year but murder cases rose sharply.

In the first nine months of 2014, Bulawayo recorded 14,759 reported cases with figures declining to 13,500 in the same period this year. Murder cases in the province rose by 23 percent increase.

Bulawayo recorded an upsurge in murder cases as 22 people were murdered in the city last year while 27 were killed in the comparative period this year .

Speaking on the sidelines of a schools crime awareness debate at Eveline High School on Tuesday, Assistant Commissioner Edmore Mlambo, who is in charge of operations and crime in Bulawayo Suburban district, said although cases decreased this year, police were battling to have a crime free city.

He expressed concern over murder, rape, robbery, theft of motor vehicles, unlawful entry and theft as well as child abuse and domestic violence cases that still haunt Bulawayo.

Asst Comm Mlambo, however, said it was encouraging to note that there was a decrease in sexual abuse cases.

“There was a reduction of rape of juveniles from 139 cases reported in 2014 to 119 cases in 2015. Adult rape decreased from 109 cases in 2014 to 91 cases in 2015. However, we are still worried about the figures,” said Asst Comm Mlambo.

He said it was disheartening that people were killing each other over trivial issues.

“People no longer respect the sanctity of human life. Most of these murders are a result of social issues. We have the case of a 17-year-old boy who killed his aunt over a cellphone. This is not the only case, we also heard about a man who killed a friend after a quarrel over the type of movie they were watching,” he said. “Murder cases increased from 22 cases reported in 2014 to 27 cases reported in 2015, a 23 percent increase.”

Asst Comm Mlambo said although police are committed to reducing murder cases, there is a limit to what they can do as people were killing each other at private or secluded places.

“It’s difficult to manage these cases because they happen in isolated places. These cases are also varied,” he said.

Asst Comm Mlambo urged members of the public to learn to tolerate each other even in cases where they had some disagreements.

The city has continued to see people being killed over trivial issues.

In August, a Bulawayo man was stabbed five times by his friend after a heated argument over who had visited more cities in the neighbouring South Africa. Lwazi Mtetwa, 21, fatally stabbed Thabo Thebe in an alcohol induced rage.

Asst Comm Mlambo said murder cases can only be eradicated if residents worked in tandem with the police.