Statistics reveal that a total 23 791 stock theft cases were recorded by the Namibian Police between May 2021 and April 2023.
This is according to Popular Democratic Movement Member of Parliament, Mike Venaani, who on Tuesday tabled a motion to debate the causes of the high crime rate in Namibia and seek urgent interventions.
Venaani told the National Assembly (NA) that Namibia is experiencing a surge of crimes relating to robbery, gender-based violence, murder, assault and economic crimes such as cybercrime and cross-border and trans-national organised crimes, such as human and drug trafficking. He also said that a total 98 640 criminal cases were reported between 2021 and 2022.
“It is extremely sad to read in newspapers about young women being killed by men in Namibia. The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has said that at least 32 per cent of Namibian women have experienced physical violence from an intimate partner at some point in their lives. The UNFPA further indicated that Namibia recorded close to 700 rape cases, with an unequal impact on women and girls in the year 2022,” Venaani said.
He further maintained that from 2019 to July 2022, around 4 000 Namibian women fell victim to rape. This, he stressed, is despite efforts to impose harsher sentences on rape offenders.
“The number of women and children falling victim to these crimes continues to rise. We therefore need to find urgent solutions. Men on men violence is another serious concern, as so many men lose their lives at the hands of other men. Despite some efforts by the law enforcement agencies, crime in Namibia has been normalised. Serious interventions are needed as a matter of urgency, so that crime is addressed. We collectively need to identify some of the root causes of the high crime rate in our country,” Venaani added.
Source: The Namibia Press Agency