Serule Police Station assistant commander, Assistant Superintendent Mbobo Serokolo told The Monitor last week they recorded three cases which were reported by the victims' parents. He explained that all of the victims were girls aged between 14 and 16 years who had absconded home for days to stay over at their boyfriends' places. "Only in one of the cases, the boyfriend was the victim's age mate whilst others were men in their early 20s. Whenever schools close we record these types of cases. The girls sneak out of home at night and don't return until their parents decide to go out looking for them," he said.
"They would trace them at their boyfriends' places who are mostly herders (badisa) at the cattle posts and lands in the outskirts of Serule." Serokolo applauded parents for reporting such cases to the police and implored men to stay away from minors. He expressed disappointment at the rise in these cases despite their continued efforts to curb defilement in the area. "Through farmers' committees/associations, we have been doing public outreach in the area. Even at the lands and cattle posts in the area we sensitise members of the public about all of the offences including defilement, but it is of great concern that our efforts fall upon deaf ears," he added.
