Berea __ Berea Police Station through its Crime Prevention Unit has encouraged liquor traders to become vigilant and observe the trading hours in order to join hands with police in preventing the escalating crime rate.

This was said by Inspector (Insp.) Ramabanta Lelakane during their meeting with liquor traders staged at Teyateyaneng Police station on Friday.

Insp. Lelakane said according to their national police crime incident report, Berea is topping other districts with high crime rate and it has come to their attention that most of them emanate from the liquor selling areas.

He pointed out that recently the district is covered by a dark cloud of brutal killings, fighting, and house breaking cases which as well affect street vendor’s shacks, therefore all these criminal activities are influenced by heavy use of alcohol.

Insp. Lelakane added that failure to observe the closing time at the taverns and public bars is another major contributing factor leading to high rate of stock theft and sexual offences, therefore in case of crime emergency people look upon the police officers for help.

He said efforts to invite liquor traders’ forms part of raising awareness or to encourage them to observe rules and regulations governing their businesses or failure to abide; they are inviting police officers to enforce the law.

He further said most people visit the taverns armed with guns and other deadly weapons, and in case of any misunderstanding that might occur at that place, they do not believe in peaceful resolution of conflicts, but such a person who is under the influence of alcohol always initiates a fight or resorts to weapons.

Sharing the same sentiments, Senior Inspector (Snr. Insp.) Khupiso Mothibeli urged liquor traders to beef up their safety by installing cameras or hire security guards who can ensure that all people entering their premises are not armed, adding that they should control both the incoming and exit movements by fencing their trading places.

Snr. Insp. Mothibeli further encouraged them to report to the police any unusual or suspicious movements or gatherings around their trading place.

Also speaking, Department of Tourism Officer Ms. Thato Nyaphisi urged liquor traders to alert their office or police officers about people selling alcohol illegally because such people are destroying their business.

Ms. Nyaphisi further issued a stern warning to liquor traders to refrain from trading with a borrowed trading license because it is quite risky to do so, therefore anyone interested in selling liquor should have their own licenses.

One of the liquor traders, Mr. Bataung Lerata said although they comply with the law, they find themselves competing with illegal traders and their business suffer the worst consequences and as a result police should come to their rescue.

Another liquor trader Mr. Rammotseng Maema highlighted that some police officers are tempted to taking bribes among the law offenders and as a result that is negatively impacting their businesses because they focus more on businesses which are fully licensed, while giving less attention to those trading illegally.

Meanwhile, in line with the Lesotho Liquor licensing Act 1998, public bars are supposed to open at 10 am and close at 12pm, while taverns open at 10am and close at 10pm, but on Sundays the public bars close at 10pm.