Beitbridge woman cries for justice 

Source: Beitbridge woman cries for justice – The Southern Eye

CHRISTMAS festivities are here and many people are looking forward to joyous moments, meeting with their families for the holidays.

It is a time most from the Christian world reserve for worshiping the birth of Jesus Christ, spending quality time with loved ones.

In Zimbabwe, many travel to join relatives and be merry.

It is a time when most wheels of different industries slow down or even stop completely, taking a break from a 12-month working routine.

In brief, it’s a jolly good time and people are merrymaking.

But for Natsai Moyo (not her real name to protect the identity of a minor), a Beitbridge woman, there is no reason to celebrate.

Moyo is tormented daily after her child was allegedly raped by her sister’s brother-in-law.

She left the child, only five, in the care of her married sister in Guruve to search for jobs in the busy border town.

In November, Moyo went to pick her child up in time for the Christmas holidays.

On their way back to Beitbridge, the girl asked for a toilet after the bus stopped for a recess at Mvuma and that is when she discovered that her child had been sexually abused.

Moyo was heartbroken when the child revealed the identity of the paedophile who had sexually abused her.

“As soon as I arrived in Beitbridge, I went to the police station to report. I was heartbroken,” she told Southern Eye Weekender.

Her visit to Beitbridge Police Station was the beginning of her long and expensive journey to seek justice for her child.

However, the road to finding justice has not been easy, and without success as the suspect has not been arrested to date.

An officer in Beitbridge told her to go back to Guruve to lodge a report.

She headed for Guruve, where she spent two weeks going to the police station with officers there not entertaining her.

“The female investigating officer I only know as Mwenga showed very little interest in the case,” Moyo said.

“I don’t know why she cannot arrest the accused person, whom I am informed by someone back home that he is always available.

“Mwenga was not showing any enthusiasm and took long to record my statements.”

She added: “I went there every day for two weeks, but her demeanour showed lack of interest and I wish the case had been assigned to a male officer.”

Moyo says she wants justice.

“I want the culprit arrested,” she said.

“I want him to be taken away from the community because he will do more harm.

“If he could do this, what will stop him from targeting more victims?”

Moyo may not be that sophisticated, but research shows that her statement corroborates findings by experts in sex crimes who say a paedophile is likely to strike again.

“After travelling to Guruve several times, the docket was only opened on November 27,” Moyo said.

After sharing her ordeal with this journalist, Moyo has fresh problems from police who are harassing her for sharing her experience with the media.

“Police went and told my relatives that I had rushed to the media,” she said.

The member in charge at Guruve Victim Friendly Unit, identified as Blessing Chitambo, confirmed having contacted Moyo’s relatives in connection with the media inquiry.

“Yes we did contact the relatives of the complainant’s mother. We apologise and we are hunting for the accused and have made several futile raids,” he said.

But for the little victim, her mother and society, justice delayed is justice denied.