Mpopoma residents in soup for circulating nude pictures

POLICE in Bulawayo have arrested four residents of Mpopoma suburb for possession of prohibited nude articles of a 33-year-old woman after they leaked it on social media.

Provincial police spokesperson Inspector Abednico Ncube confirmed the arrest of Mpumelelo Nyoni (30), Sheron Dube (22), Viola Chamboko (29) and Linah Ncube (33).

He said the quartet was arrested on Tuesday after a woman was alerted by a Mpopoma WhatsApp group members that her nude pictures were in circulation.

“During the period from April 2019 to June 2020, Nyoni, Dube and Chamboko worked in cahoots and circulated pictures of the woman bearing her nakedness on WhatsApp platforms. They were also found in possession of her five pictures on their cellphones,” Ncube said.

“On June 8, the woman was alerted by Mpopoma WhatsApp group members that her nude pictures were in circulation. This made the woman file a police report noticing that her dignity was impaired and this led to the arrest of Nyoni, Dube and Chamboko,” he added.

Ncube said the Bulawayo cybercrime crack team, together with the ZRP Victim Friendly Unit, led to the arrest of the first three accused persons.

“On the same day, the police anti-cyber team got a tip-off that Ncube was circulating nude pictures in the Mpopoma’s various platforms of WhatsApp groups. A follow-up was made. Ncube was found with her naked pictures which she sent to her friend Nyoni,” Ncube said.

“As police, we urge the public to respect other people’s private lives. It is an offence to take and circulate nude, indecent or videos on social media. Members of the public are also advised to report such acts as it tarnishes the image of other people.”

The accused are set to appear in court soon.