Sixteen unruly students at Letlhakane Senior Secondary School implicated in the brutal assault of a fellow student last Saturday after school study were arraigned before the Letlhakane Magistrate court this Tuesday.
According to Letlhakane Police Station Commander, Tshegofatso Masole, the students who were arrested on Sunday and Monday respectively, if found guilty for the charge of assault and causing grievous harm, could be sentenced to three years behind bars.
“We are yet to arrest another possible suspect in this matter and record statements from the those in our custody right now.”
Masole could not divulge if dangerous weapons were used in the fierce gang attack of the teen age boy. Scenes of the student’s assault went viral over the week end, causing outrage among viewers.
Appearing before court, the sixteen students were denied bail, to enable police to carry out investigations and to apprehend the other wanted suspect. The key suspect is believed to be in hiding.
“Granting the suspects bail will jeopardise investigations into this matter, because most of the witnesses to the alleged assault are students with the suspects at Letlhakane Senior Secondary School. Furthermore, the matter is still fresh and tempers are still flaring, and to hinder any possible fights, it is best to keep the suspects in remand for the time being”, explained Sergeant Seonyatseng Kereelwang, the investigating officer.
“The victim is also a student at the same school with the accused persons. Currently the school boy is recuperating and we are yet to ascertain the degree of injuries he sustained”, highlighted Kereelwang, who works under the Letlhakane Police Gender and Child Protection Unit.
The 16 adolescents who are sitting for their final examinations in a few months are remanded at Ikago Rehabilitation Centre in Moshupa and will return to court next week Monday.
Meanwhile, Superintendent Masole confirmed cases of bullying and assault in the mining town’s schools are prevalent and a great concern in both junior and secondary schools.
“Bullying and fights among students in secondary schools in Letlhakane Secondary Schools are prevalent. However, most of them go unreported and are resolved out there by parents or school authorities. This case is the first to be reported to the police, and investigations into what transpired among the students and led to the assaulting a fellow is yet to be established”, said Superintendent Masole.
