KUWADZANA CHILDREN TRAGEDY: RESIDENTS BLAME POLICE FOR THE SEARCH DELAY

WHAT DOES THE LAW SAY ABOUT MISSING CHILDREN, PEOPLE?

Residents in Kuwadzana Extension have been contemplating demonstrating against the police following the disappearance of the three children, who were later found dead in the boot of a car at a car park.

The death has brought mixed reactions, with some blaming the police for delaying in responding to the issue.

Initially, residents wanted the police to respond promptly to begin a search.

While some have many theories about the case, some believe that the children were kidnapped and later dumped in the boot.

Some said the boot was opened during a search, while an attendant at the car park said the boots were not searched but only inside the cars.

It remains a mystery whether the boot was opened or not.

Everyone is waiting for post-mortem results to determine the cause of the death.

However, we give a brief of what the law says about missing persons.

In Zimbabwe, missing persons are primarily dealt with under the Missing Persons Act [Chapter 5:14], which provides procedures for a court to presume death and manage the estate of a missing person after a lengthy period.

Families should report a missing person to the police immediately at no cost by filling out a Missing Person Report form at their nearest police station.

The Act focuses on the legal procedures to declare someone presumed dead and appoint an administrator for their estate, involving the police for searches and the Master of the High Court for estate matters.

Reporting a Missing Person 

• Report immediately: Do not wait, as there is no requirement to wait a specific amount of time before reporting a missing person to the police.
• Where to report: Go to your nearest police station.
• What to provide: Fill out a Missing Person Report form (Form 28) with all the available information about the missing person.
• Cost: There is no cost to report a missing person.

The Missing Persons Act [Chapter 5:14]

Presumption of death:

This Act provides the legal framework to apply for a court order presuming a person is dead after a lengthy period of being missing.

WHAT DO POLICE DO?

If a child goes missing, police will record the case after 24 hours.

This is a result that the children may have gone somewhere.

If a senior person goes missing, the police will record it after 7 days.

This was necessitated by false reports on missing persons, as well as some might have eloped or run away from their homes.