More criminal cases were recorded countrywide during the 2022/23 festive season compared to the same period of the preceding year, Namibian Police Force’s Deputy Inspector General for Operations, Major General Elias Mutota, has said.

Mutota said this during the Festive Season Road Safety Campaign feedback meeting held in Windhoek on Tuesday.

He said alongside the road safety campaign, NamPol also undertook festive season crime prevention operations in all 14 regions, which ran concurrently.

The primary objective of the operations was crime prevention; protection of lives and properties and intensifying the enforcement of road traffic rules and regulations.

The 2022/23 festive season crime prevention operations recorded various serious crimes, whereby a total of 1 758 cases were recorded countrywide compared to 1 621 criminal cases recorded during the 2021/22 festive season.

This Mutota said translates to an eight per cent increase.

“Moreover, a total of 719 suspects were arrested during the period under review compared to 779 suspects arrested in 2021/22 festive season,” he stated.

The prevalent serious crimes recorded ranged from assault with 503 cases, fraud 258, stock theft 248, rape 169, dealing in drugs 142, possession of wildlife products 65 and murder with 65 cases.

According to Mutota, analysis done on the crime statistics indicate that the increase in some serious crimes during the festive season was attributed to the abuse of alcohol or narcotic substances among the youth, the unemployed and other socio-economic factors.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Inspector General said 174 646 vehicles were inspected at various road traffic checkpoints countrywide and that 151 875 drivers were screened for alcohol, of which 128 464 were male and 23 411 were female.

He said 963 drivers were detained for driving a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or intoxicating substances, while 26 332 summons were issued with a monetary value of close to N.dollars 24 million.

“1 312 unroadworthy vehicles were suspended from further usage, while 2 346 courtesy notifications were issued,” Mutota added.

The meeting was also attended by the Minister of Works and Transport, John Mutorwa.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency