By Staff Reporter Crime Focus Zimbabwe
The city of Bulawayo is in shock following serious allegations emerging from a private rehabilitation centre in Emganwini, where the owner of Habits Experts Rehab Centre, Norris Pikanegore, is now wanted by police for questioning.
Authorities are investigating multiple claims of sexual abuse, physical assault, and inhumane treatment allegedly taking place within the facility, which was reportedly housing vulnerable patients and clients enrolled under rehabilitation and skills programmes.
The alarm was first raised after a female patient reportedly escaped from the facility following a late-night incident last Thursday. She claims she was taken out of the centre around midnight and transported to Pelandaba under suspicious circumstances before managing to flee and contact her family. Her account, shared publicly, triggered a wave of further allegations.
Since then, more than 30 individuals have come forward alleging abuse at the facility. Some say they were patients undergoing rehabilitation, while others claim they were attending beauty and skills training programmes run at the same premises.
One former patient alleged she was sexually abused and threatened into silence. Another claimed she was repeatedly assaulted with a stick, leaving her with visible injuries. Several others, including a teenage girl, described disturbing patterns of abuse, intimidation, and degrading treatment allegedly taking place at the centre.
A male complainant further alleged that patients were subjected to humiliating and unlawful conduct while under care, claiming there was no proper professional oversight at the facility.
Rescued individuals also allege that the centre operated without qualified medical or mental health professionals. They further claim that drugs and alcohol were accessible on the premises, raising concerns about the safety and legitimacy of the rehabilitation programme.
Following the emergence of the reports, police conducted a raid at the Emganwini premises but found the property deserted. Investigations later revealed that several patients had been moved to Cowdray Park under unclear circumstances, while others had either escaped or were collected by relatives.
A joint operation by police from Nkulumane and Cowdray Park, working alongside investigators, later led to the discovery of 21 individuals who had been relocated and were found crammed inside a house in Cowdray Park. Statements were recorded from the victims, who narrated disturbing accounts of their experiences. Families were contacted and several victims were reunited with relatives, while efforts continue to trace families of those still unaccounted for.
Police have confirmed that Norris Pikanegore is being actively sought to assist with investigations. Unconfirmed reports suggest he may have fled the country, possibly crossing into Zambia, though authorities have not verified this.
The allegations have sparked widespread outrage among residents and parents, with many questioning how the facility operated amid claims of prior complaints and whether proper oversight mechanisms failed to intervene in time.
One complainant alleged that earlier reports of abuse were made but not acted upon, a claim which authorities say is now part of the ongoing investigation.
Police have urged anyone with information to come forward as the probe intensifies, stressing the need to establish the full scope of what occurred within the facility.
As investigations continue, attention is now focused on accountability, regulatory compliance of private rehabilitation centres, and the protection of vulnerable individuals placed in care.
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