Zimbabwe Judge wants sex offenders data base

BULAWAYO High Court judge Justice Martin Makonese has called for the setting up of a national register for sex offenders to help monitor the movement of people convicted of sexual offences.

Officially opening the 2016 legal year for the Gweru High Court Circuit yesterday, Justice Makonese said an appropriate legal framework should be put in place to ensure that the tracking of sexual offenders is done without violating Constitutional provisions.

He said anyone found guilty of a sexual offence against children and mental patients must be put on the register.

"All offenders and sexual predators must be brought to book. I propose that a national database be created for all persons convicted of child sexual abuse for the purposes of monitoring sexual vultures who tend to re-offend once released from prison," said Justice Makonese.

He said child sex abuse is a vice that requires all members of society to report any such cases to authorities.

Countries such as Britain, the United States and South Africa have National Registers for Sex Offenders which contain details of convicted sex perverts.

In South Africa, the NRSO was established by an Act of Parliament.

It is a record of names of those found guilty of sexual offences against children and mental patients.

The register gives employers in the public or private sectors such as schools, crèches and hospitals the right to check that the person being hired is fit to work with children or mentally challenged people.

The register is not open to the public and is kept confidential.

Justice Makonese said no right thinking member of society can condone, let alone encourage abuse of young children for whatever reason.

"I urge those religious groups that encourage abuse of young children to think and think again. No child should be forced to marry or have sexual relations with a male person before the legal age of consent. Child marriages have no place in any democratic and progressive nation," he said.

Justice Makonese said cases of domestic violence arising from misunderstandings and crimes of passion were on the increase.

The High Court judge commended the police for apprehending offenders and bringing them to book.

"The courts must play their part in ensuring that just sentences are imposed on offenders. The public will tend to lose faith in the justice delivery system if convicted offenders are seen to be receiving lenient sentences that don't fit the offence and the offender," he said.

"All judicial officers are urged to shun corruption as this tends to erode public confidence in the judicial system. I would in this regard urge all stakeholders to report incidences of corruption where these are detected."

Justice Makonese also applauded regional magistrates for handing down appropriate sentences on child sex offenders. "They must continue to uphold and enforce the law without fear of favour," he said.

The judge said despite lengthy prison sentences imposed on cases involving violent crime, particularly murders, there was an upsurge in brutal killings committed by persons of both sexes all around the country.

He said of major concern was that juvenile offenders were also committing heinous and brutal crimes.

"We now live in a society where the respect for human life for some people simply doesn't exist. Knife stabbings have become common place and all manner of weapons such as hoes, shovels, logs, spears, axes, stones, bricks are used to inflict injury against fellow human beings over petty disputes. The courts shall continue to impose heavy penalties on offenders who show little regard for human life," said Justice Makonese.