MURDER cases in the country have doubled over the past six years with police saying most of the cases involved domestic violence and beer drinking among other social issues.

According to data obtained from the Zimbabwe National Statics Agency (Zimstats), there has been a 117 percent increase in murder cases over the period under review.

Sunday News reported that the Zimstat Quarterly Digest of Statistics for the fourth quarter of 2015 shows that 1 387 murder cases were recorded last year compared to 638 cases recorded in 2010.

In 2011 734 cases were recorded and the number rose to 901 in 2012 before going down slightly to 830 in 2013. The murder cases soared to 1 015 in 2014 before hitting 1 387 last year, a figure that has evoked concern from the police.
In 2015 the third quarter recorded the highest number of cases 648 followed by the last quarter which recorded 255 cases.

The first and second quarters of the year recorded 240 and 244 cases respectively.

However, the data from Zimstat does not show which province in the country recorded the highest number of killings. by Tinomuda Chakanyuka. Source: Sunday