Dedza registers increased suicide cases in 2016

Dedza District registered a 79.8 percent increase in suicide cases in 2016.

The police have since attributed the rise to acts of intoxication and chamba smoking which are rampant in the district.

Dedza Police Station deputy spokesperson Cassim Manda said in 2015 they registered 13 suicide cases while in 2016 they received about 23 reports—three of which occurred during the Christmas and New Year festive season.

He further said the area of Traditional Authority (T/A) Kamenyagwaza was a fortress of suicide cases followed by that of T/A Kachere.

Despite the increase in 2016, Dedza Police say they have strengthened the general security in the district.

Manda said they managed to reduce general crimes by 19.6 percent and road traffic accidents by 28.7 per cent.

Records of defilement show that the district registered 32 cases in 2016 against 33 in 2015 while cases of house breaking were 34 in 2016 compared to 44 the previous year.

Fourteen cases of grievous harm were registered in 2016 against 25 in 2015.

Manda, however, bemoaned the tendency by some complainants to withdraw cases and acts of mob justice, arguing it defeats justice.  n