Control sale of knives in public

IT is becoming too common to hear that the number of offenders charged with wounding, grievous bodily harm and murder using pocket knives has increased.
Offenders use the pocket knives, which are usually concealed to hold someone up, and if they refuse to cooperate, the victim is stabbed and at times, murdered using the knives.
One will find that a random police search on an unsuspecting group in a busy place will find some sort of offensive weapon and most times it will be a kind of knife.
Police prosecutors over time have told the courts that the use of pocket knives in committing a crime is a growing issue and has to be looked into.
The sale of pocket knives in public markets and on the street should be stopped as they are being used as weapons to crimes of wounding, hold-ups and murder.
It is no secret that murder weapons used are often pocket knives.
Those involved in tribal or ethnic fights are using knives to hack others to death just as the incident at Koki, Port Moresby, three weeks ago. It is time the Government, through its respective agents step in.
It should put in place laws to declare that it is illegal to sell these items especially on the streets and markets.
That law should declare that carrying a knife in public without good reason is illegal.
Basic laws on knives should be put in place to forbid the carrying of knives in public.
Exceptions may be made for work-related purposes (chef’s knives and others), depending upon the laws of a given jurisdiction.
In turn, the carrying or possessing of certain type of knives perceived as deadly or offensive weapons such as automatic or switchblade knives or butterfly knives should be restricted or banned.
Even where knives may be legally carried on the person generally, this right may not extend to all places and circumstances, and knives of any description may be prohibited at schools, public buildings or courthouses and at public events.
While we call for the sale of pocket knives to be controlled with strict laws implemented by the Government, this should extend to other forms of knives as well.
The carrying of any form of knife be it bush knife, rainbow knife and grass knife in public should be regulated.
The Government should implement laws that would ban individuals to carry any form of knives on the streets.
It is creepy not knowing who in the crowd has a pocket knife in their possession with the wrong intention on its usage.
No one wants a pocket knife held against them for the theft of their personnel belongings, be it bag, mobile phone, keys or even vehicles.
Knife crime has devastating consequences on families, children and communities – offenders simply cannot go unpunished.