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Lumbidzani Dima, Chronicle Reporter

A CAMPAIGN to combat crimes of passion has been launched in Plumtree where the police are working closely with the Bulilima and Mangwe communities to enhance peaceful dispute resolution and curb domestic violence.

A crime of passion is a term in criminal law that refers to a crime committed in the “heat of passion” in response to provocation, as opposed to one that was premeditated or deliberated.

Crimes of passion including murder, attempted murder, rape, domestic violence, assaults have been on a sharp increase recently, according to the police.

To curb this, police in Plumtree on Wednesday launched a campaign code named “#No to crimes of passion” at Dingumuzi Stadium in the border town.

Addressing the gathering, Officer Commanding Bulilima and Mangwe Districts, Chief Superintendent Mesuli Ncube said between January-May 2022 crime analysis has shown a big jump in terms of crimes of passion, which involve cases of violence.

“Comparing last year and this year, all cases involving crimes of passion have increased in 2021. There were 11 cases of murder, while this year we have 16, which is a 45 percent increase,” he said. 

“Last year there were 18 attempted murder cases and this year there are 27 converting to 162 percent increase. A total of 168 assault cases were recorded in the 2021 period, while in 2022 there are 198, which is an 18 percent increase.

“Rape cases have increased from 64 to 67 converting to four percent. Cases of domestic violence have increased from 52 to 75, which is 44,2 percent increase.”

Supt Ncube said the hotspot areas were Plumtree town and Madlambuzi area in Bulilima.

“Most cases are caused by liquor, drug and abuse of substances like marijuana and infidelity, rituals such as satanism and false prophesy, poverty, rape and domestic violence cases,” he said.

“Others include leaving children with neighbours, children walking alone in secluded or thick bushy areas, male and female grown up children sharing the same room, old aged people living alone without anyone taking care of them and child exposure to social media.”

Supt Ncube urged citizens to take part in community policing as it will help reduce crime in the district. He said they have engaged traditionalists including chiefs as well as church leaders to help fight crime, which has taken away a lot of innocent lives.

“As the community we should thrive to identify the objectives and functions of the police as our own, in turn we must feel the people’s  needs and aspirations are also our own,” said Supt Ncube.

Chief Tshitshi said the rise in crimes of passion is a clear sign that people have lost their morals and culture. He said there is need to restore ubuntu.

“There is a need to restore our culture and nurture our children in a manner that will make us proud one day,” he said. 

“This is a shame and it’s very painful. We have lost ubuntu that we used to be proud of. We have become more like animals. 

“A home used to be the safest space but nowadays fathers/ uncles/neighbours who are supposed to be trusted are the ones abusing children.”

Primary and Secondary Education, Dr Evelyn Ndlovu, in a speech read on her behalf by Matabeleland South Provincial education director, Mrs Beatrice Manjere, said :

“The gift of life is lost as a result of petty arguments or misunderstandings emanating from beer drinking, domestic disputes and WhatsApp messages from phones,” she said.

“In most of the murder cases knives and machetes are used to kill and in some cases in full view of the children.”

Minister Ndlovu said crimes of passion were committed by people of ages ranging from 15-40, and most of them both males and females were school drop-outs. 

“Let’s strive to take our children to school up to university level no matter what so that they may be able to see the other side of the coin,” she said.