CAUGHT IN THE ACT
A 51-year-old man is currently in police holding cells, after being caught red-handed, having sex with his 15-year-old step daughter.
The unemployed Namibian national, married to a Motswana woman who works at an agriculture university in Gaborone, was caught red-handed defiling his stepdaughter in their sitting room at Mokatse village, between Tlokweng and Modipane.
Upon realising that they have been caught, the step daughter revealed to the shocked mother who had returned from work earlier than usual, that the stepfather has been having sex with her during her absence ever since the beginning of this year. The stepdaughter is a student at a junior secondary school in Gaborone.
The devastated mother reported the matter to the police, and the stepfather has been in custody since the defilement incident.
Confirming the case, Tlokweng Police Station Commander, Superintendent Unoziba Rari stated that they have detained the suspect while investigations continue. Rari also warned that defilement is a serious crime, punishable by a lengthy prison sentence.
According to the laws of Botswana, defilement is a crime committed when an adult has sex with a minor under the age of 18 years. A guilty verdict from the courts carries a minimum 10-year sentence, while the magistrate can also hand out life imprisonment if they see fit.
At a recent press briefing, Assistant Commissioner Gontlafetse Segolodi, Deputy Director of the Botswana Police Gender and Child Protection Branch, expressed concern over the persistent issue of violence against children.
Segolodi reported that cases of defilement have continued to rise, with 1 825 cases recorded in 2020, 2 033 in 2021 and 2 059 in 2022. In response to this alarming trend, the government has introduced stricter penalties for sexual offenses.
As of September 15, 2023, individuals convicted of defilement involving children under 18 face a minimum sentence of 20 years, with the possibility of life imprisonment.
Additionally, under the new penalties, if offenders are found to be HIV-positive without their knowledge, the minimum sentence is 25 years. However, if they were aware of their HIV status, the minimum sentence increases to 30 years.
To further deter violence against children, the government has also increased penalties for attempted rape, with the minimum sentence now set at 15 years, extending up to life imprisonment.