Africa-Press – Botswana. All reported cases involving minors are investigated by the police in collaboration with social workers until they are completed in the courts.
Minister of Justice, Mr Machana Shamukuni, answering a question in Parliament, said social workers who were in the employ of Botswana Police Service, including those under the Gender and Child Protection branch, served as contact persons for victims of gender-based related violence and child abuse.
He said social workers were involved in the justice system with 50 social workers and 16 psychologists deployed across different units of Botswana Police Service, the Gender and Child Protection branch inclusive.
Mr Shamukuni explained that efforts were ongoing to increase the cadres in Botswana Police Service and to increase its capacity to broadly service Batswana.
He, however, said the development would be dependent on availability of financial resources for manpower.
Member of Parliament for Mahalapye East, Mr Yandani Boko had asked why social workers were not fully included in the justice system, especially in the police service under the Gender Based Violence and Child Protection units.
He had also asked when the ministry would hire the relevant personnel in the two units to service the nation.
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