Revenge Porn and rape also a growing worry
Botswana Police Commissioner, Keabetswe Makgophe has expressed concern over the rising number of cases involving child pornography and cyber extortion in the country.
Addressing the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Wednesday, Makgophe admitted the boys in blue are becoming increasingly overwhelmed with such incidents.
Indeed, although he did not disclose the exact number of child pornography cases Botswana has registered, the top cop said the issue was serious enough for the police to form a unit that focuses exclusively on such crimes.
“This is becoming a very serious issue. We have established a small unit at headquarters to focus and pay specific attention to such cases,” he confirmed.
Makgophe further warned that the cops have observed a worrying increase in cyber extortion and what he termed ‘revenge porn’ cases.
“Cyber-related crimes are on the rise. Cyber extortion includes people taking uncompromising pictures of their partners at that time and later using them as blackmail,” explained the police boss.
“Revenge pornography is there and it is real! When times are good the couple takes naked pictures of each other. When the relationship is no longer working, the person that feels rejected threatens the one who wants to get out by saying ‘I will publish the pictures that we took’,” continued the commissioner, who encouraged those being blackmailed not to be afraid to report to the police.
“As soon as that money is finished they will come back to want more. If you find yourself in that position report, whether you are embarrassed let the law take its course. We have noted that it is mostly people occupying senior positions who are the target.”
Turning his attention from online misdemeanours to physical crime, Makgophe announced an alarming statistic, revealing that on average six women are raped in Botswana every day.
“Our major concern is gender-based violence. Batswana have become a lot more violent, especially men. Batswana men are abusing female colleagues. We have about six rapes every day; predominately it is the men raping women!”