KADOMA — In an incident that has left residents of Rimuka, Kadoma, shell-shocked, three plainclothes policemen (names supplied) allegedly arrested and detained an 11-year-old girl (name withheld for ethical reasons) for three hours on August 7, accusing her of indecent exposure.
According to sources close to the incident, the three policemen arrested the girl, who was wearing shorts, inside a supermarket at Rumwe Shopping Centre in the high-density suburb.
There was a scuffle between one of the policemen who was holding a quart of beer and the girl’s aunt who refused to let the policeman take the girl away.
Sources told NewsDay the police also had a scuffle with girl’s mother when she protested against the arrest.
According to the girl’s mother, the policemen allegedly used offensive, graphic language that they had been aroused by the girl’s dressing, hence the arrest.
The commotion allegedly attracted a huge crowd, but the policemen allegedly insisted on taking the girl for interrogation at the police station. When the father of the girl arrived at the scene and also protested, he was threatened with arrest for interfering with the course of justice.
The girl’s father later told NewsDay: “The policemen were evidently drunk, and they insisted that they had been aroused by the child’s dressing. They said they were trying to maintain law and order by arresting her.”
The girl was only released following the intervention of senior police officers. Officer Commanding Kadoma District Chief Superintendent Manzini Moyo confirmed the incident early this week.
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“We can confirm there was an arrest of that nature. I don’t have the details at the moment. We are actually looking into the issue. We will take internal disciplinary action. But, it was an isolated incident.”
Later, he told NewsDay: “We have completed the investigations. It was not an arrest. There were rowdy youths who were booing, chanting and saying obscenities against the girl.
“The police intervened and tried to take her away from the scene. At that time, one of the parents protested which led to the altercation.”
