The Director of Criminal Investigations, Mohamed Amin, has formed a specialized team of investigators to expedite the probe into femicide cases reported in the country.
Amin pledged to provide all necessary resources for the team to fulfill its mandate, addressing the urgency and severity of the issue.
“These killings have cast a dark shadow over our safety and security endeavors; we must put this menace to an end with remarkable speed and finality,” stated Amin.
The team, consisting of criminal intelligence analysts and forensic experts, is assigned to develop swift and comprehensive preventive strategies for addressing sexual offenses and murders involving women.
Amin emphasized the importance of collaboration with other stakeholders to curb what he termed an atrocious violation of human rights. He revealed that between 2021 and 2024, 94 cases of killings of women and girls were reported to the DCI, resulting in 65 suspects being arraigned in various courts nationwide.
The DCI instructed the special team to complete pending investigations and ensure that all those found culpable are brought to justice. Amin urged the public to provide information that could aid investigations or help apprehend the perpetrators through the toll-free hotline 0800722203.
“There is a nexus between femicide and sexual violence. We know the perpetrators of these heinous crimes; let us expose them. Let us all join hands to defeat this evil,” he urged.
In response to the surge in murders of women, women's groups, and rights activists led peaceful protests in major urban towns, calling for action to end the violence. Despite these efforts, additional murders of women have been reported since the protests.
The grim statistics reveal a disturbing trend, with husbands identified as the primary perpetrators of femicide, responsible for 241 out of 546 cases between 2016 and 2023. Boyfriends, strangers, friends or suspects known to victims, ex-husbands, family members, and ex-boyfriends were also identified as contributors to these tragic incidents.
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