Maun police station has since January this year recorded a total of 80 rapes and two attempted rapes. This was revealed by police station commander Superintendent Kenny Badumetse in an interview with Sunday Standard this week.
This week alone, he said two teenage girls aged 16 and 18 from Maun’s Botshabelo ward were repeatedly raped by an unknown man who had sneaked into the house they were sleeping in. The two girls, both of who are still at junior school were threatened with a screw driver. The worst part according to Badumetse was that the man did not even use protection in all his acts. He is reported to have raped one of the girls in full view of her cousin whom he had pinned down and warned not to try to scream.
When he was done with the first girl, he reportedly jumped onto the other one and did the same thing, later at which he continued raping the younger one. Because it was very dark, the girls could not recognize him, as he immediately disappeared into the night after committing the heinous act. The two girls are currently undergoing counseling at Women Against Rape, a nongovernmental organization in Maun which advocates for women issues.
Still on the same day, a middle aged woman returning home from a night church service was also raped by unknown man. As the woman fell down, the man took advantage of her unconsciousness and raped her. Badumetse said the man stood there for some time, but only fled after the woman had gained consciousness. None of the assailants was caught and police investigations are ongoing.
The police boss said as the police service, they are very much concerned about the active movement of women at night in Maun, most of who go unaccompanied. He said because of the many entertainment sports in town, people have resorted to idling even at odd times, something which he says poses a very serious danger as they have now become vulnerable to rapists and attackers.