19 Mar 2013

 Semolale Police has cautioned families of rape victims and defilement to desist from protecting offenders.

Speaking during Pitso ya Borre session organised by Bobirwa mensector in Semolale on Saturday, Sub Inspector Abdul Malaolo said it was both frustrating and surprising to find families of rape victims protecting the offenders, averting the law to take its cause.

He said  many rape cases were not reported to police, while some people try to settle such cases at home adding that many offenders have escaped jail because women defend them although they were the ones that reported cases to the police.

Inspector Malaolo said defilement and rape cases in Semolale only were of a grave concern to the police and residents..

He stated that in 2011 and 2012 they recorded two and three defilement cases respectively. The police also registered two rape cases in 2011, while in 2012 they recorded three.

The police officer blamed men for committing such offences and called them to introspect. He also lambasted women for always taking a defensive stance and changing evidence during trials involving men accused of rape, saying that allows men to escape the wrath of law at courts.

Inspector Malaolo said the police’s efforts to educate residents were hampered because relevant people fail to attend. He challenged parents to monitor movements of their children to protect them from becoming rape victims.

He said there was also a new phenomenon in the area where some men rape others especially after bars closed at night and these cases were still under investigation and pleaded with men to be alert.

Dr Kaite Mashini of Semolale clinic was concerned that the area had high prevalence of HIV but male persons were reluctant to test. He observed that youth failed to use condoms and those that test positive do not enrol in the anti-retroviral therapy.

Men sector member, Mr Gasewarona Sanoto stated that the sector was formed to encourage men to test for HIV, address social ills such as rape, passion killings, gender based violence, as well as advise men on general issues that affect them on daily basis.

Mr Sanoto said for HIV and AIDS to be defeated there should be a collective efforts and determination between men and women.

He said men were always advised to circumcise, as research has indicated that it reduced the rate of infection and transmission of other sexually transmitted diseases as well as cervical cancer.

Mr Boyce Otlhomilwe, district AIDS coordinator advised residents to revive their men sector committee because it serves as a platform to discuss pertinent and pressing issues.

Residents concurred that the committee was relevant and believed that issues that affects them such as suicide, passion killings, high rates of divorce, marriage wrecking, child maintenance, alcohol and drug abuse can be discussed. ENDS