19 May 2020

An increase in the number of sexual offences involving under-age girls is a cause for concern in Serowe and surrounding villages.

In an interview today, Serowe police station commander, Superintendent Poloko Oteng, said rape and defilement cases might not be new in the country, but their manner and frequency were worrisome. 

Supt Oteng stated that they were investigating one rape and two defilement cases, which occurred this week in their area of jurisdiction.

He said a 14-year-old girl was molested by a man aged 23 years at Mannathoko ward in Thabala.

He said the duo were allegedly in love, but the girl refused to have sex with the boyfriend.

Another defilement case occurred at Maalosoangwana ward in Serowe involving a 17-year-old girl. The matter was reported by the victim's parents who suspected that she was pregnant and investigations were ongoing to find the culprit.

Police were also investigating a case in which a 19-year-old girl was raped at Mathodi ward in Serowe by an unknown person early in the morning when she was from her boyfriend’s place where she spent the night.

Supt Oteng stated that every week, they received similar cases, expressing a concern that some violence and rape cases were not reported on time, meaning that the statistics might not be a true reflection of the reality on the ground.

He indicated that in light of this worrisome situation, there was need to strengthen the existing laws against rape and to ensure speedy prosecution of rape and defilement suspects.

Furthermore, he said victims were often unwilling to open up after incidents of rape for fear of stigma, hence encouraging members of the public to deal with the menace.

“All must come together to uncover these criminal elements as they cause their victims untold pain and even life-long trauma,” he said.
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