In a bid to curb rising crime, Southern Region Police Headquarters, in conjunction with the National Police Headquarters, strategised to use their Super League team, Blue Eagles, as a crowd- puller to meetings, where, in the course of watching football games, the public are given tips on how to reduce crime.
One such meeting took place on Saturday at Bangula ground in Nsanje where Blue Eagles played Bangula Select while police disseminated anti-crime messages to the gathering.
Southern Region Police commissioner George Kainja, who presided over the event, said they had done this following a rise in cross-border crime, gender-based-violence (GBV) and livestock theft.
Said Kainja: “Besides addressing the public through such meetings, we have talked to chiefs and our Mozambican counterparts to combine efforts to curb crimes like human trafficking.”
On his part, Traditional Authority Mbenje thanked the police for the initiative and appealed to his people to change their perceptions especially on traditional and cultural beliefs that fuel crimes such as GBV and human trafficking.
During the event, police presented two bicycles and assorted community policing equipment such as torches to Mbenje.
After the meeting, Blue Eagles emerged 5-0 victors in the match, courtesy of two goals each from Micium Mhone and John Malidadi while Maxwell Salambula scored once.
