The South African Police Service (SAPS) recently acknowledged detectives in the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Investigations (FCS) as well as the detectives within the Serial and Electronic FCS Crime Investigations (SECI) whose efforts often go unnoticed for contributing to a much better and safer society.
Warrant Officer Nervarge ‘Nivi’ Lutchminarain was one of the officers who was recently honoured by SAPS for his sterling work in the organisation. Lutchminarain has served the SAPS with distinction for 28 years. He began his career as a detective and in 2002 was hand-picked to join the then Child Protection Unit. In 2008, the specialised detective became the first detective in the country to convict a female of rape. In this matter, a 28-year-old woman had been found guilty of raping her 14-year-old nephew on numerous occasions. According to the member, the boy was unaware that he was being raped and thought he was at the right age to have sexual intercourse. The woman was convicted and sentenced to life in prison with an additional 15 years.
Warrant Officer Nivi, as he is known by colleagues and many others, said a lot of men and boys are embarrassed to speak up or report abuse for fear of being laughed at. “There are many men who are emotionally, physically, and verbally abused daily by women but are afraid to speak about their experience because their own communities and peers make a mockery of them. Men and boys also need support, they are also human, it’s time society supports and stands up against men abuse,” said Warrant Officer Lutchminarain.
Lutchminarain said he has worked on several cases where men refused to open cases against their partners or other females who had abused and violated them, simply because they felt embarrassed. “Men need to man up and speak out against abuse. Because these men cannot show the power in their relationships, they tend to commit other violent crimes or at times they turn on their perpetrators,” he said. In March 2021, W/O Lutchminarain also became the first detective in the country to have a parent, guardian or care giver convicted of human trafficking.
He was instrumental in the handing down of nine life sentences to a Verulam step father who had been using his nine-year-old to create child pornography, raped at least 900 times and forced to perform sexual acts. The FCS unit boasts 176 units nation wide and nine Serial and Electronic Crime FCS Investigation Units based at Provincial Offices across the country.
The South African Police Service is encouraging all citizens to download the #MySAPS app. The app allows citizens to share information more effectively by providing tip-offs anonymously through the app, finding the nearest police stations and facilities and offers quick access to all official SAPS social media platforms.
Gender-based violence survivors and those exposed to GBV related abuse are encouraged to click on the vulnerability services icon on the MySAPSApp to get a better understanding of what the FCS unit offers to GBV survivors and affected parties.
