Old Naledi: Alcohol-Related Crimes Troubling
Pini Bothoko | Tuesday December 14, 2021 06:00
Alcohol, according to Naledi Police assistant station commander, Assistant Superintendent Meshack Dambuza, impacts the severity of the crimes committed.
He told The Monitor that excessive alcohol consumption in the area remains a concern disclosing having established most crimes take place at entertainment places, especially shebeens.
Dambuza said even though serious crimes have drastically dropped over the years, alcohol-related petty crimes remain a searing thorn.
“Naledi ke motse selegae. Bojalwa bo a nowa thata, le gone ka mehuta. There are many shebeens in Naledi and the situation is worsening. We have since established that shebeens fuel violent and serious crimes like rape, murder, assault cases to mention but a few. These crimes are usually committed at these shebeens late at night,” he said.
He added the situation is worsening taking into account that almost every house has a drinking spot. Dambuza said the assault, bodily harm that mostly starts as fights at shebeens turn to serious crimes that are growing high in the area.
The police senior officer stated that imbibers in Naledi tend to fight over petty issues that could have been resolved verbally. Furthermore, he revealed that knife-stabbing incidents remain prevalent in Old Naledi with most of the cases usually ending as bodily harm.
Dambuza said for years they have been battling with murder cases, which usually start as fights at the shebeens.
“I do not know why people, especially men, prefer to carry knives at entertainment places. Knife-related incidents are high in this area and trouble us as the police,” he said.
“We have observed that people who carry them appear to have the confidence to fight back when they are involved in misunderstandings. Most of the victims and perpetrators of stabbings are the youth, particularly males.”
Meanwhile, Dambuza revealed they are investigating a murder case that occurred on Thursday evening in which a 27-year-old man was stabbed to death with a knife.
“The incident occurred in the evening at around 6pm at a playground after the deceased allegedly got into a misunderstanding with a 30-year-old man leading to a fight. The two got physical and in the process, one took out a knife and stabbed the other to death,” he said.
Dambuza said the suspect has since been arrested, charged and will soon appear before Extension II Magistrate’s Court to face a single count of murder.
Asked what had caused the duo’s misunderstanding, Dambuza said investigations are ongoing to establish the cause. However, The Monitor has learnt that the deceased met his fate after he had followed the suspect looking for his owed money. The incident occurred almost a week after a brother stabbed another in Molepolole, killing him over a P60 debt.
Asked what they intend to do responding to this scourge, Dambuza said they have been holding public outreach meetings in the area sensitising members of the community about crime in general, but their efforts at spreading awareness seem to be falling on deaf ears.