The Directorate of Criminal Investigations has intensified its effort in tracking down a female suspect, seen in a shared video of aggravated child torture. In the video, the suspect is recorded while thrashing, kicking and stamping upon the head of a male juvenile, who was helplessly crying in pain.
Our task teams are fast tracking all leads, at their disposal, including clues from social media suggesting how both the victim and the suspect were residents of Kinoni-Kyangwe in Lwengo District. Unfortunately, the leads have yielded no results yet.
There are also further efforts to verify a second video, of a woman recorded while beating a toddler, with a huge stick in a narrow corridor within a compound. The video was however, muted and the language in the background could not be picked very well. A third video of a woman trampling upon a naked toddler and repeatedly throwing him to the ground, was established to be foreign.
We want to encourage anyone who could have witnessed these young children, victimised under these life threatening situations, to call on the Toll free line for the Child and Family Protection Unit at Police Headquarters, Naguru on 0800199195 or call Telephone contact number 0718792417.
As a result, we have tasked the Child and Family Protection Officers, to take interest on all forms of child abuse, especially where they receive calls or information for assistance. They should thoroughly evaluate all child related threats especially on orphaned children, abandoned children, children with guardians or caretakers, and children in abusive families. They should further strengthen their level of cooperation with Local Councils, Probation Officers and shelter homes.
We strongly condemn such cruel and inhumane acts of child torture, because there is no justification whatsoever. All children rely on parents, adults, guardians for their survival and well-being, which rights we must all observe.
Any new developments will be communicated accordingly.
CP FRED ENANGA
POLICE SPOKESPERSON
11th March 2021
