Murder, rape stats on the rise

SERIOUS crimes like rape and murder have increased around the country over the past three years, according to statistics released by Police Commissioner Gari Baki.
There were 343 murder cases and 531 rape cases reported last year. In 2017, there were 197 murder cases and 157 rape cases reported. The year before there were 287 murder cases reported and 139 rape cases.
Baki said that he was releasing the statistics so that people could take responsibility with law and order in their communities.
Last year 225 suspects were arrested for the 343 murder cases reported and 221people arrested for the 531 reported rape cases.
For the 197 reported murders in 2017, 92 people were arrested and 66 were arrested for 157 reported rapes that year. In 2016, 181 people were arrested for 287 reported murder cases and 57 were arrested for 139 reported rapes.
National Capital District reported 95 murder cases last year with 71 arrests made. Enga reported 55 murder cases and 12 arrests. Western Highland reported 40 and 20 arrests were made.
Eastern Highlands reported 18 murders and 19 arrests were made, West New Britain reported 12 murders and three arrests were made. Central and East Sepik reported 11 murder cases and nine arrests were made in East Sepik and 15 in Central. Morobe reported 10 cases and arrests were made in all of them.
Madang, Northern and Milne Bay reported nine cases each, with 20 arrests in Northern, seven in Milne Bay and six in Madang.
West Sepik reported eight murder cases last year and four arrests were made. Jiwaka reported seven (three arrests), East New Britain reported six (arrests in all the cases), Hela and New Ireland reported five each (no arrest in Hela, three in NIP), Chimbu four cases (seven arrested).
Bougainville and Western three each (no arrest in both provinces), Manus and Gulf two cases each (one arrest in Manus and two in Gulf).
Lae Metropolitan reported one case with no arrest.