Online Reporter
Yesterday we carried an unfortunate story where two men took turns to rape an 18-year-old girl while her lover, who had been attacked, watched at Granville Cemetery.
The incident happened on Saturday as the woman and her lover were walking together at around 8pm.
According to police, it was a second such attack in the same area and there were suggestions that this might have been carried out by the same suspects.
Harare provincial police spokesperson, Inspector Luckmore Chakanza confirmed the case saying two cases took place at the same cemetery on the same day.
The incidents are the latest, in recent months, where pedestrians have been attacked, raped, or even murdered in isolated parts of the city and it seems that cemeteries are becoming hotspots for such horrific crimes.
Places like graveyards used to be scary for pedestrians, even during daytime but this is slowly changing.
Unfortunately, the changes have been such that pedestrians are even using shortcuts through graveyards even at night when its completely deserted with no lighting nor security.
In other words, you will be on your own.
And whatever happens, there will be no witnesses nor rescuers and you will be at the mercy of the attackers.
It is agreed that criminals know that very few, if any, people will use such secluded areas after dark and they use them to pounce on the few defiant ones, who become easy prey.
Unfortunately, and whether accompanied or not, most victims are women as was the case on the two incidents reported on Saturday.
It is, therefore, important that people realise that it is not a wise decision to use secluded areas like cemeteries as shortcuts no matter how much of a convenience it looks by simply focusing on distance. Criminals venture at night to do cruel things and they do not screen their victims before attacking them.
They simply pounce on people using secluded paths or areas given the advantage that there will not be anyone to rescue their targets.
It is easy to suggest, from comfort of homes or offices, that the Zimbabwe Republic Police should increase patrols around some of these dangerous spots.
However, the best way to deal with this danger is to stay away from the secluded areas even when there is a temptation to seek joy away from the public eye or to get home early in the event there is no public transport in the area.
The onus still lies with residents to keep safe, and it is always better to be early or at least to take the longer route, which is safer.
A short cut is often a wrong cut!
