NAN
Gombe State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Shina Olukolu, has recommended the adoption of ‘gender-friendly’ method of investigation for victims of rape.
Fielding questions in Gombe, he said that the experience of being raped was traumatic and could mar the future of a victim, as such required special method of investigation.
According to him, the type of investigation he is recommending will put the victim in a very open and friendly situation where she can relate to the police freely, thereby providing the information needed for diligent prosecution of culprits.
The Commissioner said the method of investigation in the past was probably the reason people were reluctant to report rape cases.
“The gender-unit mode of investigation had helped the police to get the needed information for investigation and the prosecution of perpetrators in the court of law.
“This is done to gain the confidence of the victims themselves, who would tell what exactly had happened to them.
“Female victims are given to female officers who seemingly play the role of sisters and mothers to the victims, and are often ready to provide support.
“In this kind of investigation, the victims are not exposed to the public and the media,’’ he said.
Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo of Gombe State had, on April 17, decried the rising cases of rape in the state, saying two to three cases were reported daily in the state.
