On June 10, Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa announced a prisoner amnesty
to “create space” in the nation’s jails for political offenders. He said
prisoners convicted of murder, rape and other serious offenses would not be
freed.
However, amid the country’s economic collapse, previously convicted
offenders have been on the rampage with an estimated four cases of armed
robbery reported per day in Harare alone in the past two weeks – a city
where gun crime has never been common.
Zimbabwean police are now launching a crackdown on gun crime after robbers
stole cars at gunpoint and used firearms in house robberies to steal
valuable televisions, electronic goods and cash.
Zimbabwe’s economic meltdown has led to rampant illegal black market trading
and growing use of U.S. dollars in basic transactions. With chronic
shortages of local cash available at banks, cash and hard currency are often
kept at home.
SWRadio Africa
Post published in: News