Lingadzi police records increase in crime, road accidents

Lingadzi police station in Lilongwe has registered increased rates of criminal and road accident cases from January to June this year.

Officer-In-Charge for Lingadzi police, Neppier Chafikana revealed the development on Sunday during Station Executive Committee (SEC) meeting at Ufulu Garden in Lilongwe.

“During the period under review (January to June 2020) the station registered 760 criminal cases comprising burglary, theft, and defilement among others, while during the same period in 2019, 640 cases were registered, depicting 19 percent increase of the cases,” he said.

However, Chafikana highlighted that the station has also registered 412 road accidents this year compared to 155 road accidents reported in 2019 representing 167 per-cent increases.

The officer-in-charge said to reduce these cases the police station in partnership with groups, organization, individuals and community members from Traditional Authority (TA) Chitukula and TA Chimuzu and TA Njewa has introduced station executive committee.

The chairperson for Lingadzi SEC, Dr. Mathews Mtumbuka said the committee is a community led and non-profit making forum in the pursuit of safety and security of the communities in order to create a just society.

“Chairpersons from various community policing structures shall be empowered to take a leading role in matters of safety and security and hence improved quality of life for the public as well as changes in attitudes and structures which perpetuate human suffering and injustice,” he said.

Mtumbuka pointed out that the committee shall be elected every two years to coordinate safety and security activities within Lingadzi policing areas and the membership to this committee are from community policing forums (CPFs).

Central regional community policing coordinator, Superintendent, Patricia Njawili requested the committee to increase general public awareness on the need for police-community partnership to fight against crime through local media.

“The committee should sensitize the public especially the youth on the root causes of the involvement in punishable cases such as drug and alcohol abuse, theft and vandalism of public property through demonstrations,” she said.

Njawili appealed to the committee to also provide and include integration of safety and security messages in social gatherings, schools and religious activities.