REHOBOTH: The police in Rehoboth have urged residents, especially those in informal settlements, to report sex offences instead of withholding critical information that could help the police.

This comes after an anonymous Facebook user reported an alleged attempted rape of a minor over the weekend. The user submitted a Facebook post in a community group warning residents about the man who reportedly attempted to rape the minor in the Kavuki informal settlement.

The user claimed that after being apprehended, the man threatened to rape any child he comes across in the informal settlement, even if the police are aware of his identity.

The Namibian Police Force’s crime investigations coordinator for Hardap, Deputy Commissioner Eric Clay in an interview with Nampa on Tuesday said the police are aware of a social media post, but no one has come forward to report the incident.

Clay explained that due to the gravity of the claim, police officers have been dispatched to all informal settlements in Rehoboth to loca
te the user and gather information to verify the incident.

‘This is a serious allegation, and we responded swiftly by dispatching officers to investigate the case. We also encourage residents to come forward and help us identify the user,’ he said.

Clay emphasised that if the anonymous individual is known to someone, they should advise the person to report to the police or the gender-based violence centre in Rehoboth, especially if the offense involves a minor. He said if the allegations are accurate, there may be more victims. The individual accused of the crime is known to the police, but without a reported crime, they are unable to take action.

‘The man is known and we can approach him because we know where to find him, but without somebody stepping forward and reporting a crime, our hands are effectively tied,’ he explained.

The commissioner noted that the police are working tirelessly with the gender-based violence centre to ensure that perpetrators are apprehended.

He also said many of these crimes
occur under circumstances that the community can avoid. Clay noted that sex crimes and the circumstances surrounding the acts in the region appear to be kept secret, which hinders police work, and urged community members to disclose relevant information to the police.

Source: The Namibia Press Agency