OPERATION BASADI: 142 ARRESTED COUNTRYWIDE

MBABANE – Operation Basadi saw a total of 142 arrests across the country for crimes such as rape and kidnapping, among others.

Operation Basadi is a Southern African Regional Police Chiefs Cooperation Organisation (SARPCCO) simultaneous operation, which is conducted annually in the country’s four regions and other member countries. The Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS), through its Gender Network, conducted the operation code named ‘BASADI XV’.

As per the outcome of the operation, a total of 66 people are wanted for crimes such as assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm (GBH), rape dagga possession, contravening the Immigration Act, trading without a licence and theft, among others. The police arrested 53 people for assault GBH, which was the highest number of arrests per offence. For dagga possession 28 were arrested and 17 for rape. Ten were nabbed for contravening immigration laws and six for trading without a licence.

Five people were arrested for the offence of breaching environmental laws and for theft. There was one person arrested for each of the following; theft of copper, housebreaking and kidnapping. On the other hand 24 people are wanted for assault GBH, 11 for rape, seven for dagga dealing and six for breaking immigration laws. Five are wanted for theft, one for theft of copper and another for housebreaking. The operation began on December 4 until December 6, 2023.

According to the SARPCCO Simultaneous Operation Report, assault to cause grievous bodily harm (GBV) recorded the highest numbers with a total of 53 arrests made. Four Sexual offenses and Domestic Violence (SODV) cases reported. This operation has been cited as one of the biggest successes, especially because arrests for rape cases were made, and the belief was that the court would impose stiffer sentences to the perpetrators. The operation is intended to build safer and secure communities through robust investigations and follow-up on gender-based violence cases, including other criminal offences, in a bid to enhance police cooperation in their investigation, arrest and prosecution.

The timing of the operation during the month of November/December was deliberate to coincide with the hype and peak of the annual end of year season, suggestively coinciding with the United Nations’ 16 Days of Activism to end violence against women and children. Meanwhile, this year’s operation commenced with an Anti-GBV Campaign launched by the senior deputy national commissioner in the Manzini Region on November 10, 2023.  

This campaign saw the UN theme ‘UNITE’ being put to effect as the REPS Gender Network facilitated the gathering to be held at the bus ranks of the major cities and town in the country to catch up with diverse people from different locations. During the Manzini Region launch, the commissioner’s representative commissioned a roll-out of similar campaigns to be conducted in all four regions of the country and continued until December 6, 2023.  
In these campaigns, different stakeholders, including general members of the public, were given a platform to remark and make constructive comments on increasing GBV cases in the country. Apart from members of the public, REPS Gender Network collaborated with the Crime Prevention Unit, Domestic Violence and Child Protection Unit. The Operation Basadi was carried out by the Royal Eswatini Police Service Gender Network in coordination with Deputy Prime Minister’s Office, REPS Crime Prevention Unit, the Domestic Violence and Child Protection Unit, the psychotherapist, chaplaincy services, National Crime Prevention Council and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) such as Kwakha Indvodza and Swatini Group against Abuse (SWAAGA).  

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