Zimbabwe’s Crime Rate Rises in Last Quarter of 2023

Charity Chikara

22.03.24

Zimbabwe’s reported crime rate saw a significant increase of 21.5% in the final three months of 2023.

This translates to 221,596 offenses recorded compared to 182,427 in the previous quarter. The national crime rate per 100,000 people also climbed to 1,459.9, up from 1,201.8.

The Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZimStat) compiles these statistics based on police reports, while the data only reflects reported crimes and doesn’t account for those that go unreported.

Public safety and state security offenses saw the highest increase, with 89,244 incidents recorded. This translates to a rate of 587.94 per 100,000 people. Assaults and threats were the most frequent offense within this category, at a rate of 195.9 per 100,000.

Theft also showed a rise, with 37,602 cases reported, resulting in a rate of 247.7 per 100,000.

While not the most numerous, crimes involving controlled substances were the most prevalent within their category. There were 3,235 cases of fraud recorded, along with 48 corruption offenses. Sexual violence also saw a concerning increase, with 3,091 cases reported during the quarter.

The report emphasizes that these figures are based on data collected between October and December 2023. It also highlights that ZimStat uses the United Nations International Classification of Crime for Statistical Purposes (ICCS) adopted in 2016 to categorize offenses.