09 Jun 2016

Botswana Police Services is worried by some parents who do not report cases of defilement.

Acting commander of district number 10, Superintendent Ishmael Morebodi, told Bobirwa Sub-district councillors  that rape and defilement cases were common in their policing area of Bobirwa, Mmadinare and Tswapong.

Supt Morebodi said defilement was sometimes reported when victims were pregnant.

He said some pregnancies only became evident when victims were consulted at health facilities, but health personnel were reluctant to share information because they were governed by their code of conduct.

Supt Morebodi said the police had consultations with the doctors concerning the issues of defilement in the area.

And he urged parents not to conceal such cases in order to protect perpetrators who destroyed children’s future.

Supt Morebodi was responding to concerns from councillors who wanted to know whether people who defiled girls under the age of 16 had been arrested and prosecuted.

He said in 2014, they recorded 134 rape and attempted cases while in 2015 they recorded 138.

Other cases that were still a concern in the area were murder and threat to kill.

In 2014, there were 13 murder cases reported against 16 cases reported in 2015.

Councillors commended the police for suppressing crime in the area.

Nominated councillor,