02 Jul 2018

Police have expressed concern about the alarming trend in which some individuals or groups continue to publish, exchange and distribute pornographic or obscene materials on social media.

A press release from the Botswana Police Service says they are particularly concerned about the exchange or distribution of realistic images of scenes of crime, fatal road accidents and other immoral activities.

The release says the police have also identified some culprits involved in such activities, adding that amazingly, the suspects that were arrested claimed that they did not know that the exchange or distribution of obscene material through the Internet constituted an offence punishable by law.

Therefore, the police have warned the public that it is a serious offence under the Cybercrime and Computer Related Act to distribute obscene material via social media.

The public is also urged to desist from such practices and encouraged to report anyone they suspected to be engaged in such immoral acts.

The release says such irresponsible behaviour has more often caused unbearable trauma to the parents and relatives of victims or the victims themselves.

The police have further urged, particularly those who are obsessed with publishing and distributing such images on social media, to exercise humility, courtesy and respect for others, regardless of their status in life, adding that such acts had the potential of tarnishing the good image of the country. ENDS