BY GARIKAI MAFIRAKUREVA Cases of sexual abuse of minors have drastically increased in Chiredzi during lockdown with seven men having so far been arrested and remanded to later dates in the past week. Most perpetrators, who were supposed to appear before the Chiredzi Magistrates Court, were remanded in custody to February 22, 2021 or later dates as the courts were not operational due to a 30-day lockdown announced by Vice-President and Health and Child Care minister Constantino Chiwenga at the beginning of the month. One of the cases involved a truck driver who allegedly returned home late at night and attempted to rape a minor who had been left by his wife babysitting their two children. The minor reportedly screamed and managed to escape to another tenant’s room, who took her to the police to file a report, leading to the man’s arrest. The suspect was supposed to appear at Chiredzi Magistrates Court on January 15, 2021, but was remanded to February 22, 2020. In another incident, an 11-year old Grade 4 pupil at a local school was repeatedly raped by four men aged between 15 and 40 at different times. The matter was discovered by the girl’s mother who noticed an unusual behaviour and quizzed her, leading to the disclosure of the crime and the arrest of the four. Another man is alleged to have raped a 13-year-old girl several times and threatening her with death. The man is alleged to have lured the girl to his room with goodies, including chocolates, biscuits and soft drinks. The matter came to light when he bought her a mobile phone for ease of communication. This led her mother to quiz the girl, who revealed her ordeal each time the 33-year-old man called her to his room. She immediately made a police report leading to his arrest.