The Directorate of Criminal Investigations has intensified its effort in tracking down a female suspect, seen in a shared video of aggravated child torture, Police Spokesperson CP Fred Enanga has said.
In the video that is making rounds all over social media, the suspect is recorded while thrashing, kicking and stamping upon the head of a male juvenile, who was helplessly crying in pain.
In a press statement dated March11 signed by CP Enanga, police task teams are fast tracking all leads, at the disposal of the circulating video, 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.
In another video, a woman was recorded while beating a toddler, with a huge stick in a narrow corridor within a compound but was later muted
“There are efforts to verify a second video of a woman who was recorded while beating a toddler, with a huge stick in a narrow corridor within a compound. The video however, was muted and the language in the background could not be picked very well.” Enanga said.
He added: “A third video of a woman trampling upon a naked toddler and repeatedly throwing him to the ground, was established to be foreign.”
Police urges the general public with any information about the victims in the video to report to the Child and Family Protection Unit at Police Headquarters, Naguru on Toll Free Number 0800199195 or call Telephone contact number 0718792417.
“We want to encourage anyone who could have witnessed these young children, victimised under these life threatening situations, to call on the provided Toll free line.”
The Child and Family Protection Officers have been tasked to take interest on all forms of child abuse reported through the contacts provided to the public as well as evaluating all child related threats especially on orphaned children, abandoned children, children with guardians or caretakers, and children in abusive families.
They have been advised to cooperate with Local Councils, Probation Officers and shelter homes where many of these children are accommodated.
Police further condemned cruel and inhumane acts of child torture, and appealed to parents / guardians to observe their rights.