Don’t abandon kids, police warn

By PHOEBE GWANGILO
POLICE in Western Highlands have warned that those who abandon their children will be charged.
Officer-in-charge of the provincial family sexual violence unit Betty Ohonu said they would charge victims of gender-based violence who abandoned their children under the Lakautim Pikini Act.
Ohonu said this after confirming the arrest and charging of two mothers who abandoned their children for more than six months.
“The children’s welfare must be taken into consideration when an aggrieved parent makes the decision to leave their children below the age of 18,” she said.
“We are here to help, and I urge GBV victims to report the matter to us.
“When they leave without laying complaints, we can arrest them for child negligence if we receive complaints.
“For this month, we have received 21 complaints of child negligence, and we have made only two arrests,” she said.
“Of the 21, two have been arrested and charged under section Lakautim Pikini Act 78 (2) (c), three were cautioned and 16 are still pending.” Ohonu said WHP FSVU had set the precedence in making arrests and laying charges under the 2015 repealed Lakautim Pikini Act last month and would continue.
She cautioned parents to take into consideration their children’s welfare when making decisions from underlying marriage problems.
Ohonu added that a lack of resources was a major setback in her office executing the other 16 pending arrests.
She said tracking and arresting women tended to be easier as they were less likely to leave the province.
Ohonu told The National that the Western Highlands family sexual violence unit received complaints not only from the province but other provinces in the region.