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Nqobile Tshili, Chronicle Correspondent
POLICE in Bulawayo have appealed to companies with employees who knock off late at night to consider providing them with transport as some workers are ending up being robbed and raped on their way home.

Bulawayo police deputy spokesperson, Inspector Abednico Ncube, yesterday said law enforcement agents have attended to a series of crimes where victims would have been attacked while coming from work.

Insp Ncube said most of the people are attacked after 8PM when they resort to using pirate taxis.

“We are worried about people being attacked while coming from work at night. We have attended to several incidents where employees from various companies that knock off late at night are attacked by criminals while going home. We therefore appeal to companies to take responsibility for their workers whom they know knock off at night by arranging transport that would deliver their employees at home as their lives are at risk,” said Insp Ncube.

He said recently police attended an incident where a woman from Entumbane suburb was raped and robbed while she was on her way home.

“What we got from her is that she works for a city company which does its business late into the night.

“She was raped and robbed by a driver of a pirating Honda Fit who had offered to deliver her home. But instead of taking her home, the driver drove to a secluded place and sexually attacked her before driving off,” said the police spokesperson.

Insp Ncube said this is one of many incidents of people being attacked while coming from work.

He said police were also concerned about the increase in murder and suicide cases involving people with mental illnesses.

Insp Ncube said relatives of people with mental illnesses should pay closer attention to their relatives by ensuring that they take their medication.

“Failure to do so has negative effects for family members as they risk being murdered by their ailing relatives or having them committing suicide because of depression.

“Police have attended to several incidents where a suspected mental patient had killed their loved ones.

And we think it’s a result of relapse in taking their medication that results in depression and uncontrolled thoughts,” he said.

—@nqotshili