22 Apr 2025

Police in Maun have expressed concern about the withdrawal of gender-based violence (GBV) cases before the courts, describing such practice as tantamount to defeating the course of justice. 

Superintendent Joseph Lepodisi, the commander of Maun Police Station, said cases related GBV such as rape, assault, defilement, murder and other forms of domestic violence were serious crimes and therefore, withdrawing them encouraged perpetrators to continue to commit the crime. Supt Lepodisi said during the Easter Holidays mass prayer organised by the police and faith-based organisations recently that women and parents should always make the right decisions concerning GBV. 

Themed “Power of Prayer, Crime-Free Easter Holidays,” the event sought to sensitise the community about crime situation in their policing area as well as to seek divine intervention to curb the scourge. 

Supt Lepodisi appealed to women and parents of minors to make informed decisions, citing that reporting such cases mean to deliver justice to those affected and send a message to perpetrators and the society that the acts were not acceptable. 

Some parents, especially of minors, he said often plead for withdrawal of cases of children disregarding their rights in the process while some had a tendency of reconciling with perpetrators something which, he said, undermined their efforts to curb the vice. 

He added: “As police we make efforts of taking all cases to court where some are unfortunately withdrawn. 

This is disturbing as we believe culprits deserve to be brought to book if gender-based violence is to be curbed. People should stop the habit because in future, victims will be reluctant to report the abuse.”

However, he highlighted that GBV remained a serious concern in his policing area citing that Maun police had registered more than 100 cases since January this year to date of which 27 involved girls under the age of sixteen, 20 were rape, five were murder and 26 threat to kill among others. 

He pleaded with faith-based organisations to assist with prayers and divine guidance to curb the scourge. 

The statistics, he said, were scary considering the fact that this was the first quarter of the year comparing that last year as a whole, they recorded 17 murder cases, 98 rape cases and 94 defilement cases. 

In most cases of defilement, he said, minors were abused by some family members who were expected to be responsible enough to take care of the children. Parents were urged to create a conducive environment that promoted open communication so that their children could freely seek advice. 

They were also urged to take their responsibility of parental guidance and proper parenting saying some children become vulnerable to abuse because of negligence. Supt Lepodisi also said road accidents were worrisome, citing that last year they recorded 11 while this year, they had already registered two. 

Most of the accidents, he said, were caused by reckless driving and some drivers under the influence of alcohol. 

The Chairperson of Maun Ministers Fraternal, Prophet Thato Elias, echoed same sentiments that reckless driving and use of cell phone while driving contributed to road crashes. 

Some people, including Christians, he said, also drove without licenses and thus posed a risk to other road users and urged people to do the right thing to arrest accidents. 

He also noted that the societal ills such as GBV and other criminal activities required all to come together and seek the divine intervention so that people could refrain from evil ways. 

“Together we can create a society free from crime and promote peace and stability. 

We should all play a part to support the police in their endeavour to deliver justice for all,” he said. ENDS