Friday, January 22, 2010

10-year old flees from rapist father (Gege, Swaziland)

Notice that no mother is mentioned at all. Is this a single UNNAMED DAD?

http://www.observer.org.sz/index.php?news=10573

10-year-old flees from abusive father
22 January, 2010 10:00:00
By Njabulo Dlamini

A 10-year-old child has been forced to flee from her parental homestead allegedly after being subjected to sexual abuse by her biological father.

The child is presently residing at a homestead belonging to a community member together with her brother.

Sources disclosed that the father would often send the boy away to the shop or some other errands so that he had ample time with the little girl.

The father is said to be above 40 years of age and the girl is attending primary school in her area.

Gege MP Musa Kunene, under whose constituency the incident occurred, said they were deeply hurt and concerned that a parent could decide exploiting his own was the convenient route.

“I got the report about the abuse from a constituency councillor (bucopho) from the chiefdom where the incident occurred on Wednesday. I did an investigation myself and called the child’s grandfather who also confirmed his son was behind the abuse of the child.

“Besides the bucopho and grandparent to the child, I also received confirmation from two other community carers and was convinced the incident occurred after they had examined the child. After hearing about it, I contacted the Police PRO (Senior Supt. Vusi Masuku) and have heard police were dispatched to the area,” he said.

MP Kunene said he was disappointed that such an incident could occur within his constituency when they recently had an in-depth session focusing on what abuse is the consequences and how it could be prevented.

This was during sessions focusing on the Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Bill piloted by the ministry of justice and constitutional affairs.

“The children are being kept at a homestead within the locality where the incident occurred and one is praying for the recovery of the affected child, mentally and emotionally that is. During the sessions we learnt that sleeping with one’s child is incest.

“Secondly, sleeping with one’s own child is tantamount if not worse than murder and for us here it has tainted the image of Gege constituency,” he closed.

Police Deputy PRO Assistant Superintendent Wendy Hleta also confirmed the incident.
She said Gege police were investigating it further with a view to determine relevant charges to be preferred against the man.

Hleta further said they had secured alternative accommodation for the young ones but was reluctant to state whether this was within the locality or outside, noting such details could jeopardise their investigations.

Meanwhile, Save the Children Swaziland Information Officer Elizabeth Kgololo said they had not been informed of the case but would be dispatching officers to investigate it further.