BONELA faulted in revealing

Mmegi Editor | Tuesday May 24, 2016 09:00

Notwithstanding the fact that the issue is of public interest, it is, however, wrong for some of the information to have been shared with the public as it further victimises the young girl who has thus far suffered a lot.

Before BONELA and Ndadi revealed information relating to their trip to Sebina where they met the victim and her family and the police, it was already common knowledge that the young girl slept with the Sebina South ward councillor Kemmonye Amon as she is pregnant. There were other allegations such as that the councillor wanted to bribe the family to drop charges and that the police were helping him to sweep the matter under the carpet. Such allegations had to be established so that all is done fairly for justice to take its cause against Amon. But these are missing in the BONELA/Ndadi investigations. Instead, personal and embarrassing details about the 16-year old are revealed.

We don’t dispute the noble gesture by BONELA and Ndadi to intervene and investigate, so as to bring to light any possible conniving action that may take place.

We appreciate and commend BONELA’s efforts of arranging and paying for the medical evaluation conducted by the gynaecologist on the child. Some of the findings are too personal. We find it odd that the child’s HIV/AIDS status has been made public. Even worse that BONELA revealed how many times the councillor and the child had sex in the bush. And the disclosure about the victim’s menstruation cycle was uncalled for. This is too private matter to be a matter of public discourse. By saying they got consent from the child’s family to share the information is not convincing.

At one point, we assume the child would return to resume her studies. Now, how is supposed to face her peers after details of her periods, sexual intercourse and HIV status are in the public domain? Even for the brave, these can affect one’s self-esteem. The young girl has already been exposed to things that are beyond her, and to reveal too much information about this ordeal BONELA has actual rubbed salt on the wound.

We are strongly against the abuse of children but cannot help but find action by BONELA to reveal sensitive details about the young girl’s sexual abuse by councillor, just way unacceptable.

Just for the record, in condemning this part of their action, we can never accuse BONELA and Ndadi of seeking fame, as their record for human rights activism is well known. They don’t need this case to push them any higher.

Today’s thought

“The current relationship between the police and civil society organisations working around children’s issues leaves much to be desired.” 

– Phazha Molebatsi