‘Rapists have no place in society’

PEOPLE who abuse and molest children have no place in society and should be arrested and prosecuted, Police Commissioner-General Dr Augustine Chihuri has said.

He expressed concern over the prevalence of sexual abuse cases perpetrated on girls.

Comm-Gen Chihuri said this in a speech read on his behalf by Deputy Commissioner-General (operations) Innocent Matibiri at the 2017 ZRP Primary Schools Merit awards in Harare last Friday.

“This is why as an organisation and a country we need to speak with one voice against those who take advantage and abuse children, he said. Those who abuse and molest children have no place in our society because children constitute the future of our nation.

“The prevalence of sexual abuse cases perpetrated on the girl child is an ugly stain on the nation’s fabric.

“The perpetrators of such are evil people who should be

exposed, reported, arrested, prosecuted and removed from our society.”

Comm-Gen Chihuri called for collaboration to ensure that criminals are brought to book

and face the full wrath of the law.

He said the merit awards provided an ideal interactive social platform for the ZRP education department to come together with stakeholders to celebrate,

introspect and build on the success of the past year, as they plan for the coming year.

Prizes were awarded to pupils who attained four units at Grade 7 in 2016, teachers of pupils that had four units, headmasters of schools that had pupils that got four units, schools with the highest number of pupils that got four units, schools that had quality results and the most improved school.

Comm-Gen Chihuri said the broadened category presented and provided the ideal motivational incentive for enhanced competitive spirit in diversity of talent, capability and ability.

“The importance of primary school level in laying the foundation for the learning and development of pupils cannot be over-emphasised,” he said. “As we are all aware, it is at primary level that the children have their first contact with formal institutionalised learning.”

Comm-Gen Chihuri said teachers had the collective objective to see the children prosper in life as they found their rightful places in God’s divine plan.