Broadhurst Police Records 502 GBV Cases
Innocent Selatlhwa | Monday November 23, 2020 17:30
Deputy station commander assistant superintendent, Victor Leshiba revealed they have recorded a total of 502 GBV related cases since January to date. Leshiba was speaking at a community engagement organised by the Ministry of Nationality, Immigration and Gender Affairs and the First Lady Neo Masisi in Block 3, Gaborone.
“We receive GBV cases on a daily. And it is worrisome. We have from January to date registered five murder cases, 41 rape cases, 35 defilement cases, 27 threat to kill cases and 394 assault cases. This takes GBV cases in our station to 502 cases,” he said. Leshiba said they were concerned that in most instances the victims would drop cases. He, however, said they have been instructed not to drop any GBV cases, but rather leave the decision to the courts of law. Leshiba said in the past they have recorded murder-suicide cases after they had agreed to drop the charges as requested by the victims.
Leshiba expressed concern over the defilement cases and called on parents to stand up for their children.
“Of the 35 defilement cases, we had four of those aged between 14 and 17 who were pregnant. What is more painful is that they are not cooperative and refuse to name the culprits. This could be because they were impregnated by stepfathers in some cases and we are clueless about other reasons,” he said.
“One of them said she just met the man at the mall and does not know him because he does not stay in Gaborone. She said they had sex in the car. This goes to show our society has decayed. I call on you parents to stand up for our children.”
Various speakers who included First Lady Masisi, minister Anna Mokgethi, Kgosi Motamma Baloi and district commissioner Grace Seitshiro called on parents to start the fight against GBV by raising children right and instilling values that encourage respect for themselves.
Mokgethi called on parents to desist from physically assaulting or beating their children, teaching them that they can solve issues without resorting to violence.