News / Local
Police raise concern over landlords rape cases
21 Feb 2022 at 05:30hrs | Views
POLICE have raised concern over an increase of rape cases countrywide where women and girls are being sexually abused by known relatives, friends and landlords.
Police also urged members of the public to desist leaving the girl child in the custody with strangers.
In their Twitter page, police said a number of rape cases from different parts of the country were trickling in where brothers, uncles, grandfathers, landlords and cousin brothers are cited as suspects.
"The Zimbabwe Republic Police encourages parents and guardians not to leave their children with strangers, especially girls" read the statement.
"On February 10 an infant aged five was raped by her grandfather along the way to the garden at Janke Village, Lupane, and Matabeleland North. In another case, a 16-year-old girl was raped in her bedroom by her grandfather (45) on February 12 at Mashaba Village, Guyu in Gwanda, Matabeleland South," said police.
"On Valentine's Day, a 14 year old juvenile was raped by her landlord (42) in Pumula Old in Bulawayo. In another case, a mentally challenged juvenile aged 13 was raped by her brother on an unknown date in 2021 at Cheumba Village in Hwange."
Police said members of the public must quickly report cases of rape and not try to sweep such matter under the carpet.
Last week, Bulawayo police spokesperson Inspector Abednico Ncube said serial rapists are on the prowl in Bulawayo, targeting teenage girls who have relatives in the diaspora.
The rapists allegedly ask the girls to accompany them to collect groceries and, on the way, they rape their victims
He said there are rapists who are on the loose, luring teenagers under the pretext that they should accompany them to collect parcels sent by their relatives from South Africa.
"Police in Bulawayo are investigating two cases of rape which occurred in Gwabalanda and Luveve on the 12th of February 2022. The complainants are a female adult aged 18 years of Njube suburb, Bulawayo and a female juvenile aged 15 years of Old Pumula, Bulawayo," said Insp Ncube.
"We appeal to members of the public to assist with information which may lead to the arrest of the accused persons."
Statistics from the Zimbabwe Gender Commission show that 22 women are raped daily, one in every 75 minutes.
On average, 646 women are sexually abused monthly, with one in three girls raped or sexually assaulted before they reach the age of 18 in Zimbabwe.
Police also urged members of the public to desist leaving the girl child in the custody with strangers.
In their Twitter page, police said a number of rape cases from different parts of the country were trickling in where brothers, uncles, grandfathers, landlords and cousin brothers are cited as suspects.
"The Zimbabwe Republic Police encourages parents and guardians not to leave their children with strangers, especially girls" read the statement.
"On February 10 an infant aged five was raped by her grandfather along the way to the garden at Janke Village, Lupane, and Matabeleland North. In another case, a 16-year-old girl was raped in her bedroom by her grandfather (45) on February 12 at Mashaba Village, Guyu in Gwanda, Matabeleland South," said police.
"On Valentine's Day, a 14 year old juvenile was raped by her landlord (42) in Pumula Old in Bulawayo. In another case, a mentally challenged juvenile aged 13 was raped by her brother on an unknown date in 2021 at Cheumba Village in Hwange."
Police said members of the public must quickly report cases of rape and not try to sweep such matter under the carpet.
The rapists allegedly ask the girls to accompany them to collect groceries and, on the way, they rape their victims
He said there are rapists who are on the loose, luring teenagers under the pretext that they should accompany them to collect parcels sent by their relatives from South Africa.
"Police in Bulawayo are investigating two cases of rape which occurred in Gwabalanda and Luveve on the 12th of February 2022. The complainants are a female adult aged 18 years of Njube suburb, Bulawayo and a female juvenile aged 15 years of Old Pumula, Bulawayo," said Insp Ncube.
"We appeal to members of the public to assist with information which may lead to the arrest of the accused persons."
Statistics from the Zimbabwe Gender Commission show that 22 women are raped daily, one in every 75 minutes.
On average, 646 women are sexually abused monthly, with one in three girls raped or sexually assaulted before they reach the age of 18 in Zimbabwe.
Source - The Chronicle
