Zimbabwe teenage girl abducted and raped in Botswana

Botswana Police in Mogoditshane are looking for two men who allegedly abducted a seven-year-old Zimbabwe girl and raped her last year November.

Speaking in an interview, Officer in Charge at Mogoditshane Police CID, Barulaganye Ramatshaba said that despite the distraught parents of the violated girl's frustrations and anger at the amount of time it was taking to bring the rapists to book, the issue was a very sensitive one and police have not yet made any arrests.

"To be honest with you, we have not made any major breakthrough with our investigations, but we are working hard on it and we are at a stage where nothing concerning the case can be shared with the media." said Ramatshaba.

Lashing out at what she described as a sympathetic approach of dealing with her daughters's brutal attackers, the girl's mother, Ruvarashe Bondo (not her real name) expressed fear that vital evidence might be lost which could jeopardise the family's efforts to get justice.

What frustrates the girl's parents even more is that fact that their daughter identified the alleged two rapists at a police parade a few days after the traumatic experience. The two men identified only as Amantle and Molefhe, a combi driver and a student, spent one night in a police cell, before they were freed without a charge.

Relating his daughter's ordeal, the girl's father, Tendai Bondo (not his real names) said they only became aware of what happened the day after the rape when their daughter started to display odd behaviour.

"She was fearful specially about going to the tuck shop. She also developed a sudden dislike for men and at times she would just bolt away at the sight of a man. When we quizzed her she broke our hearts with what she told us and we quickly reported the matter to the Mogoditshane Police" said Bondo.

Their worst nightmare was confirmed when a medical report stated that the girl was engaged in penetrative sex. She told her father that she was walking with her friend from a tuck-shop one evening when a combi approached them from behind.

One man jumped off, grabbed her and dragged her into the vehicle, while his friend sped off. She said the vehicle drove to a secluded area in Mogoditshane where both men took turns raping her. Bondo said that after reporting the matter, the police responded swiftly and raided the house of the suspects who were arrested and brought to the charge office.

"We were at the Police Station when the suspects were brought in and my daughter immediately identified them as the two men who kidnapped and raped her but since then nothing more has happened," he said.

Expressing fear not only for his daughter but for the safety of other children in the neighbourhood, Bondo said; "The other suspect drives a school bus up to today. How safe are the children he transports really?" He asked.

Meanwhile the mother of a young girl who is a key witness in the matter who was also present during the identification routine told the Voice that the way the police quizzed the young victims was careless and traumatizing for the children adding that it could have something to do with the raped girl being Zimbabwean.

Officer Ramatshaba however denied the allegations and pleaded with the angry parents to be patient with the police as they carry out thorough investigations.