People of Machinga can breathe a sigh of relief following a 13% crime rate reduction in the district in the first half of 2018.

A recent biannual report released by police in the district shows that the district has registered few criminal cases compared to the same period last year.

Research and Planning Officer for Machinga Police, Sub Inspector Damiano Paluma said the reduction is remarkable.

“From January to June this year, the district has registered 662 criminal cases as compared to 767 criminal cases documented during the same period last year,” he said.

Paluma further said: “Sexual offences have also decreased by 3% after registering 51 cases this year as compared to 53 cases last year.”

Police has attributed that the crime reduction to massive awareness campaigns and the mutual relationship between the Police and the community.

However, the district has registered more cases of road traffic accidents during the period.

“On road accidents, the district has suffered a blow after registering 33 cases of road accidents this year as compared to 27 accidents during the same period last year representing a 21% increase,” Paluma said.

“Among the 33 road accidents, 15 were fatal road accidents which resulted in loss of 17 lives whereas same period last year 14 fatal road accidents were registered and 14 people lost their lives.”

Paluma said one of the contributing factors of the road accidents is noncompliance of road traffic regulations by road users.