The ManicaPost
Luxson Chananda Assistant Inspector
LOSS of property through theft, robbery or even unlawful borrowing sometimes brings complete relief to victims when the property is recovered in its sound and intact state. Victims at times celebrate the recovery of such property more than the day they purchased or acquired it.
Loss of property can be so traumatising and as such the police feel that recovery of property takes centre stage in any investigation. Not only does it replenish proprietary stock, lost in this case at the instance of crime, but it actually goes on to restore and boost the victims’ emotional and mental state.
There is, however, this other crime that has caused proprietary loss through destruction — malicious damage to property.
Whether by actual intent or sheer recklessness, the crime of malicious damage to property, has remained with us, though it has sometimes escaped appropriate attention because people have trivialised it when the value involved is small or they have been able to reach settlement before dragging each other to the police or courts.
Yet as police, we still highlight and stress on the importance of respect of other people’s property in the same manner we should have high regard for the law.
Malicious Damage to Property has been committed in a number of ways the most common of which have been seen within the home on household property and also within the community by elements bent on carrying out vengeful retribution on other individuals or some entities.
For example, a husband hurls his wife’s cellphone against the wall, or wife shatters the family car’s wind screen during a dispute.
The police have also dealt with cases such as where an individual in the village wakes up to find his cattle all lying down because someone stealthily sneaked into the kraal and axed their hind legs injuring them in the process. Sadly, the poor animals suffer for the unknown sins of their owner.
Further disturbing criminal acts have been experienced where huts/houses and even estates are set on fire and of course another example would be the torching of vehicles and buildings during the recent public demonstrations that occurred in the country.
In an attempt to bring about lasting solutions to this crime, the police have taken campaign messages to the public through various media.
We have also had to carry out a critical analysis of the urge that drives people to commit the offence looking at the intention and motive behind. Remember when viewed at law, intention would be whether one desired to cause what actually and eventually happened and motive would be the reason for doing so.
It has been said that in some parts of our country, Manicaland included, the practise of setting a house on fire for people suspected to be witches is still very much alive. This is, however, deplorable and is the reason our laws have been made to deal with practises that are harmful to society. But then, we have also seen timber and other estates go up in smoke.
While some of the fires in some estates, have been a result of negligent use of naked fire, there have been cases of people wanting to hit back at their employees for non-payment of wages or dismissal from work.
It is howwever a sad truth that the consequence of doing so by far and wide outweighs the satisfaction drawn from such vengeance.
Parties to a conflict must always remember to exercise self-restraint. It is never expecting too much to consider restrain and self control even during the heat of passion of one’s anger.
Think of a person who in a feat of fury and face to face with his adversary turns to a television set than hit the very person before him because his faculties tell him this is wrong.
As we all work hard to develop ourselve in every aspect, materially included, let us remember that protecting property rights is crucial in this drive.
While the law imposes stiff penalties for offenders, we take cognisance of the stance by our courts to restore victims to their original state before the commission of the offence by way of compensation.
Everyone agrees this is right and the way to go to deter would be criminals in this regard. The saying — you break it, you replace it — appears fair and right for all of us but then we must never forget that with it comes a little additional pain in the form of someone doing time behind bars for Malicious Damage to property.
Preventing crime is everyone’s responsibility.
Inserted by: ZRP Manicaland Press and Public Relations
