Mogoditshane's Rape Cases Cause Nightmarish Havoc

Pini Bothoko | Monday July 23, 2018 13:18

 

Police have identified most of the cases as date rape with perpetrators often being ex-lovers, casual friends or individuals that victims are familiar with. On Saturday Mogoditshane police recorded three cases of rape all involving ex-lovers. This year alone, the station has recorded more than 60 rape cases with investigations of these cases giving the police a headache as the perpetrators would claim to have had consent with the victims and went to an extent of accusing them of extortion.

In 2016 the village recorded 150 rape cases and the number significantly increased to 159 cases in 2017. The police have noted with great concern the increase of rape cases in the area, especially that their interventions seem to be falling into deaf ears.

“We are currently investigating three rape cases all of which occurred last Saturday night. What worries us the most is that these cases are later withdrawn.

“The cases concern us because when reporting the matter, the victims usually would claim that the perpetrators were their ex-lovers whilst the other party would tell a different story that they were still dating,” the district administration officer, senior Superintendent Paul Oketsang told The Monitor.

He said that in one of the incidents, the woman claims that she went to take her clothes at his ex-boyfriend’s place, but on arrival he raped her.

Oketsang said that in another case, the woman claims to have met the suspect at a bar, spent sometime with him and later offered to drop her home, but whilst on the way he drove with her to his place where she forced himself on her.

“In another incident, the woman claims the suspect being his ex-boyfriend came to her place unannounced and demanded sex.

“What worries us the most is that these kinds of cases never go to court as with time, they are withdrawn by the same people who would have claimed to have been raped,” he said.

He said that still on Saturday, in a case that was later transferred to Gaborone West police station, three men attacked a woman who was walking alone at around 8pm in the evening robbing her of a mobile phone.

“She said after taking her phone one of the suspects raped her. Investigations are ongoing to arrest the culprits who are still at large. The victim failed to identify them because it was dark.

“Women are vulnerable as compared to their male counterparts, hence pleading with women to avoid walking alone at night, as doing so exposes them to danger,” he said.

Meanwhile, Oketsang said they are investigating a robbery, which occurred on the same day in which three armed robbers attacked people walking home from church.

“One of the victims fought back and ended up being stabbed with a sharp object on his right hand. He is currently hospitalised and recuperating at Princess Marina Hospital (PMH). He sustained minor injuries, as the problem is he delayed to seek medical attention and was reported to have lost too much blood following the stabbing incident,” he said.