Knife-related crimes increasing

IT seems the number of offenders charged with wounding, grievous bodily harm and murder using knives has increased.
Offenders use knives which are usually concealed to hold someone up, and if they refuse to cooperate, the victim is stabbed and at times murdered.
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.
On Friday, a committal court magistrate warned 19 men and a woman charged with being armed in public to refrain from such behaviour after striking their case out due to a lack of evidence. The court was told that police around 11pm on Dec 25, 2021, caught the 20 defendants at Kerepia Correctional Service (CS) barracks at Bomana travelling on a vehicle.
They were found to be carrying a homemade pistol, eight bush knives and a bag of marijuana.
“Port Moresby is a place where people work, intelligent people live and if there are any issues, laws are in place, bring the issue to the court and let court deal with it.
“Throw away the bush knifes you own, change your ways, attend church and do something good with your lives.”
It is no secret that murder weapons used are mostly knives.
Those involved in tribal or ethnic fights are using knives to hack others to death.
It is time the Government through its respective agent’s step in and put in place laws to say it is illegal to sell these items, especially on the streets and markets.
And the law should say carrying a knife in public without good reason is illegal.
Exceptions may be made for work-related purposes (chef’s knives, etc.), depending upon the laws of a given jurisdiction.
The carrying or possessing of certain type of knives or any weapon perceived as deadly or offensive such as automatic or switchblade knives or butterfly knives must 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.
We have in the past written and called for the sale of pocket knives to be controlled with strict laws implemented by the Government.
This should also extend to other forms of knives also.
The carrying of any form of knife be it bush knife, rainbow knife, grass knife in public should be regulated.
The Government must also implement laws that would ban individuals to carry any form knives on the streets.
It is also scary not knowing who in the crowd has a pocket knife in their possession with the wrong intention on its usage.
No one wants any offensive weapon 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.