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No. 00268 |
May 3-9, 2003 |
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There is more to the crime scene than just robberyEverybody knows that, nothing makes big headlines here in Arusha than armed robbery incidents, with dramatic or lethal endings.Regional Police Commander (RPC), James Kombe however reckons that, there is more to the crime scene in Arusha, than just robbery cases, as Nyamanoko Bwire discovers.QUESTION: How is the overall crime situation in the municipality at the moment?
ANSWER: Everything is currently under control. It is not just in the municipality but throughout Arusha region because big crime cases have all been dealt with. The only problem facing us now, are minor incidents of petty thefts and small scale robberies which could also have been dealt with if the local residents were being cooperative enough. Q: You reported that, robbers have also been surrendering weapons to the police, how many firearms have they surrendered to-date? A: There are so many weapons, such that it may take a whole day just to count them. In fact, it is rather scary because we never imagined that this town had so many guns. Mind you, we are still receiving more weapons. In other towns, cities or even countries, the police can only impound one or two guns throughout the year. But as far as Arusha is concerned, I admit the town has given us great surprise. Q: What do you think, could be the reason behind these weapons finding their ways to Arusha? A: Well, Arusha is a very attractive area at the moment. It is an international centre and people flock here from all over the country, Africa and entire world, most of whom, come with their own weapons. Some firearms also get smuggled in illegally by robbers, again most of them coming from other parts of the country or from neighbouring countries. Criminals like towns that are resided by people with plenty of money, and Arusha is a good example, with majority of its people choosing to keep money for themselves in their households. Also, some Arusha residents own firearms legally but tend to hire them out for criminals to use. Q: Having worked in various other places, how do they compare to Arusha when it comes to crime? A: Arusha is a different affair, the town cannot be compared with any other places of Tanzania. Here people are very rich, have plenty of money, expensive cum luxurious cars, big houses and very valuable items. Even an ordinary door knob in Arusha can be very expensive. Households, hotels and business premises are well equipped with modern facilities like computers and similar gadgets. On the other hand, you also get people living in extreme poverty whose youthful population craving to also own these luxurious facilities as fast as they can, but being out of their reach legally, they tend to opt for the illegal means.
I still request all Arusha residents that, when traveling with valuable items, they should first seek police escort. Home guard militia (Sungu sungu) system, is also an effective way of reinforcing security in town. Q: Apart from armed robbery, what other forms of crime seem to be notorious in Arusha? A: Robbery cases are not as notorious or as many as most people tend to believe. They only seem so because they usually get great coverage and are of high interest to most people due to their dangerous outcomes. Leading crime case in Arusha are incidents of illegal gin brewing and prohibited chewable drugs of Khat (mirungi). Q: How comes that, when robbers are being reported to be surrendering guns, armed robbery cases also increase? A: Because the more some criminals rush to surrender their weapons in order to quit the rackets, others also decide to use the opportunity by launching more attacks in order to enrich themselves fast before their mates decide to divulge them to the authorities. However, a simple phone call can easily stop any crime before it does much harm. Q: But people complain that, the police emergency numbers 111 and 112 never seem to be working most of the times? A: We tried to ask the Tanzania Telecommunication Company (TTCL) people about that, the lines are usually overloaded with calls that’s why in most cases they are not reachable. But Arusha people can always use the Regional Police Commander’s direct phone lines of 2547683 or 0744 - 304 514. They can also call the Regional Crime Officer’s number 2503567 or 0744 - 875 984. Both the RPC and RCO cell phone numbers are available 24 hours a day. Q: Is it true that, the Regional Crime Officer, Godfrey Nzowa, is about to be shifted to the new Manyara region and become its first Regional Police Commander? A: Well. That’s our own internal administration affair! |
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Last modified:
May 01, 2003. Webmaster: WDJMallya |
