Crime in Zimbabwe

The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) provides national policing and crime-reporting services through police stations, posts and bases. A Police Enquiry Counter, or PEC, is a station access point for enquiries and reports. Stations are stated to operate 24 hours a day. The ZRP includes the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Legal Services, Internal Investigations and Victim Friendly Units. The CID Commercial Crimes Division and Cybercrime Unit investigate serious fraud, card fraud, unlawful computer access and hacking. The Tourism Police Unit assists at Victoria Falls, Great Zimbabwe, Chinhoyi Caves, Kariba and entry and exit points. The latest official ZIMSTAT figures in the supplied research cover January to March 2026. They record 428,634 offences, including 49,220 property-only offences, 42,434 offences involving harm or threats, 12,601 drug offences, 3,856 sexual-violence offences, 2,505 robberies, 9,091 burglaries, 35,109 thefts, 3,241 fraud cases and 306 intentional homicides. The overall recorded rate was 2,649.8 per 100,000 people. Harare recorded the highest rate at 6,549.2 per 100,000, while Bulawayo and Masvingo were also above the national average. The figures include 287,445 non-injurious traffic violations within the public-safety and state-security category, so they should not be treated as a direct measure of personal victimisation risk. Call the emergency police service when violence, immediate danger, a crime in progress, a suspect or loss of evidence requires urgent action. ZRP material lists 911 for police, 108 for medical emergencies and 101 for fire. A 2025 ZRP press notice also lists 911 or 112 for the Harare and Bulawayo Emergency Response Centres. Because the published numbers differ by service and location, verify the working number locally when possible. A person can also report at the nearest police station or contact the National Complaints Desk on (0242) 703631, ZRP WhatsApp on 0712 800 197 or feedback@zrp.gov.zw. Ask for the report reference number and keep it for follow-up. The reviewed material does not state a police-report fee. The ZRP states that a report should be recorded and given a reference number. A complainant can request information about case status, an explanation of progress and respectful treatment. A complaint can be escalated from the Officer-in-Charge to the Officer Commanding Police District, the Province and then the Commissioner General. The stated correspondence response target is seven days. Scene-response targets are up to 10 minutes in urban areas or two hours in rural areas for Grade A incidents, and up to three hours in urban areas or 48 hours in rural areas for Grade B incidents. Investigation targets are 21 days for petty cases, 30 days for moderate cases and 60 days for serious cases. These are service standards, not guaranteed statutory deadlines. People should provide useful information and avoid obstructing officers. Victim Friendly Units, or VFUs, operate at every police station. They handle cases involving women and children, sexual abuse and gender-based violence with private, confidential and respectful procedures. A person facing serious harm may receive protection, and counselling can be arranged with partner organisations. Report directly to the VFU Coordinator or the nearest station, seek medical attention and report sexual violence as soon as possible. One-stop gender-based-violence centres are listed in Harare, Mashonaland Central, Mashonaland West, Midlands, Bulawayo, Matabeleland South and Manicaland. The 575 GBV platform supports referrals to comprehensive assistance. The supplied research does not establish a universal survivor fee or deadline. National Clinical Guidelines for Care and Management of Survivors of Sexual Violence were revised and launched on 11 June 2026 for nationwide standardisation. Childline Zimbabwe is a government partner operated by an NGO. Children or concerned adults can call 116 free from any phone or network where coverage allows, use WhatsApp on +263 719 116 116 or +263 732 116 116, or visit a confidential drop-in centre. Counsellors and social workers can refer cases to the Department of Child Welfare and Protection and the ZRP VFU. The child-protection pathway is preferred for abuse, neglect and exploitation. Digital child-safety concerns can be reported through Childline and to the police when criminal conduct is involved. Fraud, SIM-swap attacks, hacking and unlawful computer access can be reported at a police station or through the National Complaints Desk. The ZRP Cybercrime Unit provides the criminal-investigation function. POTRAZ is the Data Protection Authority, and zw-CIRT provides a technical and data-protection function under the Cyber and Data Protection Act. The reviewed official sources did not provide a public direct contact detail for zw-CIRT. For organisations acting as data controllers or processors, a data breach must be notified to POTRAZ through DP3 within 24 hours of awareness, high-risk affected data subjects must be notified within 72 hours, an Authority information request must be answered within 14 days and an investigation report must be submitted within 21 days. These duties do not automatically apply to every individual victim. Everyday prevention includes using registered public transport and avoiding pirate or unregistered taxis known locally as mushikashika. Avoid travelling at night or through secluded areas where possible, secure doors and gates, keep vehicle doors and windows locked, remove valuables at intersections, traffic robots, parking areas and central business districts, and avoid displaying cash, phones or laptops. Avoid carrying large amounts of cash and do not resist a robbery where compliance offers the safer option. Verify job offers received through social media. For isolated or rural travel, use trusted transport and travel in groups where possible, and seek medical care after sexual assault. People can report escalating violent conduct before it causes further harm. The House under Supervision scheme is available through the police. Community-based options include Crime Liaison Committees, Business Against Crime Forums, Neighbourhood Watch Committees and Junior Call. Neighbourhood Watch is voluntary rather than employment; eligible medically fit adult women and men can ask the local station Officer-in-Charge or station Community Relations Liaison Officer about joining. Its activities can include property marking, suspicious-activity reporting, patrols and home-security assistance. The Ministry of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development coordinates gender-based-violence services, while the Department of Child Welfare and Protection and the Ministry of Justice Legal Aid Directorate provide additional institutional pathways. Legal Aid Directorate services target indigent people, although a small contribution may be requested. No universal compensation amount or victim-benefit schedule was identified in the supplied research.