POLICE in Bulawayo have arrested 33 youths from Pelandaba West suburb for hosting an illegal birthday party in violation of national Level Four lockdown regulations.
Under Level Four National Lockdown all social gatherings
are banned as part of measures to contain the spread of Covid-19.
The 33 youths who are between 16 and 25 years of age were
arrested on Saturday at about 10.30PM by police officers who were on patrol.
Thirteen of them were females and sources allege that the
party to celebrate the host, Makhosini Sibanda’s birthday, was organised
through WhatsApp. Bulawayo police
spokesperson Inspector Abednico Ncube confirmed the arrests yesterday.
He said it was worrying that police continue to arrest
young people for hosting illegal parties.
“This is a matter of concern as we are repeatedly arresting
young people for hosting parties during the lockdown regulations. This is the
third time within a short space of time that we have arrested young people
including minors for holding illegal parties. These parties are hosted in homes
where adults are not at home as in this case, the home owner is someone who is
based in Botswana,” he said.
Insp Ncube urged parents and guardians to monitor the
activities of their children as some of them were engaging in anti-social
activities such as alcohol and drug abuse.
“We are arresting young people, some who are 17 years of
age and it worries us as the police that people of such age groups will not be
home in the middle of the night. What is worrying about the parties is that
they expose the girl child to abuse and often teaches youths substance abuse
that leads to serious addictions. As police we have recorded several cases
where the girl child is raped during such parties,” said Insp Ncube.
Sources said cops who were on patrol discovered that there
was unusual activity at the house where the youths wee merry-making.
“This was already after the curfew hours and when the
police officers arrived at the house, the suspects entered the house and
started making noise while inside. The police officers called for backup and
when the revellers realised that they had nowhere to hide, they opened the door
leading to their arrest. There were empty alcohol bottles at the scene,” said
the source.
Meanwhile, the suspects yesterday briefly appeared before
West Commonage Magistrate Courts facing charges of flouting Covid-19 lockdown
regulations.
Two weeks, ago police arrested 10 youths aged between 18
and 19 years for holding a vuzu party in Emganwini suburb. The youths took
advantage of the fact that the house owner is based in South Africa.
Three weeks ago, police also arrested 12 people, including
eight minors for holding an illegal party in Pumula South suburb. The party
host was a 23-year-old man who escaped as police raided his home.
He also lived alone as both his parents are late. Chronicle
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