via Silence over three missing Chimanimani girls | SW Radio Africa. 20 June 2014 by Mthulisi Mathuthu
At a time when local NGOs are vocal on the Nigerian girls who were abducted by a terrorist group, silence has greeted the fate of three Chimanimani girls who have been missing for almost a month with the police said to be refusing to investigate the matter.
Aged between 13 and 16 the three siblings were initially abducted by Amon Jekiseni from the Machongwe Business Center where Jekiseni runs a tuck-shop. A search party traced the girls to Jekiseni’s house the following day where it was alleged that one of the girls had been sexually abused. The community searched for the girls and found them in the house.
The parents reported the case and left the girls in police custody and made a request for a medical exam at Mutambara Hospital. But the following day the police phoned to say they had released the girls. When they did not reach home the police refused to investigate the disappearance, threatening to arrest the parents themselves.
The details of the case are contained in a Zimbabwe Peace Project (ZPP) May newsletter. A ZPP spokesman confirmed that the girls were still missing and that no media alerts were made prior to the publication of the newsletter. He referred SW Radio Africa to the Marwirana family for further details but their number was unreachable.
Several other NGOs also said they had not heard of the story. Grace Chirenje from the Zimbabwe Young Women’s Network for Peace Building said she had not heard of the development until SW Radio Africa contacted her.
Chirenje said the silence over the disappearence of the three girls was indicative of the situation in the country where many women rights violations such as rape go either ‘unreported or underreported.’
She said: ‘This should be an issue in Zimbabwe especially at a time when there is a lot of terrorism in Africa. We have been passionate and at the forefront about Boko Haram so I agree that there is a problem if those girls are still missing and nothing has been done about it.’
A week before the Chimanimani girls disappeared about 100 Zimbabwean women gathered at the Nigerian Embassy in Harare in solidarity with the Nigerian girls who were abducted by Islamist group Boko Haram.
Calling themselves the Zimbabwe Young Women, the demonstrators represented various groups fighting for gender justice in Zimbabwe. However they were later criticised for not being as vocal on behalf of Zimbabwean girls and young women who continue to silently suffer serious abuses.
COMMENTS
There is no value of life for as long as this administration is in power. People are just like ponns on a chess board,easily disposed off. Nearly each and every Zimbabwean family has a sad story to tell with regards to the police not interested in dealing with cases of murder,rape and out right criminality.They are partial to the one who pays the bribe or is a ZANU connect.
My sympathy goes to the family of the girls.
I pray and hope they get justice.
Where to Zimbabwe.
These guys will have a lot to answer to when the time comes. Beware Zimbabwe police
Hope the police are in the verge of bringing light n dis case .
The world has forgotten Zimbabwe. babies are dying daily of gastro type problems and just dumped in the morgues. No one says anything. when it happened in SA recently there was a national outcry. There is utter suppression of the truth in this nation. May God reveal and expose EVERYTHING
ZANU’s are always involved
The family should contact ZLHR with a view to pursuing a case against the police Commissioner and the ZRP in Chimanimani. Any other option is likely to fail.
How come there are no names of the parents or the girls or what school they attended ? Nothing.How are we supposed to know who is missing? Pictures would help in case people have leads. I know there is a duty to protect their identity in view of the rape but weighed against their safe return I think that has priority so more information is required.
This is the ‘new standard ‘ of Zimbabwean police….it’s o.k , they will ALL be in jail in a very short time, they are the devils children and hold the succour of Bob the genocidal maniac pretender….he will die soon so no jail for him….mores the pity
Mapurisa acho anonzi anani first and second name?ko wacho weku svira vana wacho uyu amon jekiseni ambori ani achiita nezvei nekuti apa ndopanofanira kushanda mutemo.imi AChihuri batai batai mhombwe iyi kani
To me this is trafficking for purposes of exploitation in body parts or commercial sex. Chimanimani is in the corridor from northern Mozambique of which organized criminals divert from Mozambique into Zimbabwe because there is no law except a presidential decree expiring shortly in July to apprehend perpetrators of trafficking. Chiredzi is the operational hub into Limpopo province of South Africa via Sengwe-Tshipise Wilderness of the Great Limpopo TransFrontier Park a tripartite conservation management authority. Ask me I will give you further details on the recent research I have for southern Africa trends, gaps and challenges in implementation of anti-trafficking laws. the perpetrators are well resourced and coordinated that police given wands of slippery US$ in Zimbabwe will release the girls and be transferred to another police outpost then nyaya yapera……..while the whole station can survive on the criminals dollars whilst varidzi vevana continue to think one day their beloved children will show up. Hezvoko!!!!!!!
Judging by what the journalist said I am of the opinion that this Jekiseni might be working for or supplying girls to much bigger fish who have direct control of police affairs koz honestly this sounds like a police cover up story.
People should just become a prayerful nation and fear GOD.
The laws of the land where disclosed during the time of Moses. Being a police officer is accepting a duty of responsibility. Zvibvunze iwe newe kana newewo that are you doing your duty. usasiye basa ramwari richifira mumaoko ako.
Please bring back the girls and let them get psychological and medical help after what they went through.
REPENT PEOPLE WHILST THERE IS STILL TIME.
God loves you all.
The police must be held accountable this is unbelievable and way out of line! Very tragic I pray for their safety however if Jekeseni is ZANU and hasn’t been picked up then thing are looking grim.
police officers are vry corrupt.
If it is true that the police sent the girls away without investigating the matter, it is likely the girls could not go back home for fear of their own securiy, or could have been harmed by the same man who had abducted them in the first place. I believe the police should urgently try to locate the girls. Thereafter investigations in connection with their abuse should be carried out.
Women’s organisations Where are you?
Women’s organisations Where are you? where is all the hype about the rights of the girl child blah blah blah! From now on keep your dirty painted little mouths shut .Shame on you all!