The 17-year-old victim (name supplied) was assaulted by
four fellow pupils (names also supplied) at the school and had to receive
medical attention first at Pelandaba Clinic before being referred to United
Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) where he was eventually admitted overnight for
observations.
Acting Bulawayo provincial police spokesperson Assistant
Inspector Nomalanga Msebele confirmed the incident and said the four boys are
expected to appear in court tomorrow.
News of violence erupting at the school comes barely a
month after reports of gang warfare erupting at several schools across the
city. Police in the city have already expressed concern at the number of cases
of violence within schools.
Sources at the school said the five boys had an earlier
altercation when the victim allegedly fought with one of his assailants leading
to suspicions that the incident was a revenge mission by the gang of four.
Reports from sources within the school say the incident was
precipitated by a fight two weeks ago in which the group of four boys first
teamed up and assaulted a Form Three boy at the school (name supplied)
reportedly over a girl.
Sources said the matter was handled internally by school
authorities and the four were punished.
However, the following week,the same boys teamed again and
assaulted the Lower Six pupil.
Information at hand suggests that the four accused their
latest victim of bringing alcohol to school and that he was misbehaving during
the church service.
The altercation reportedly got more heated when the victim
allegedly told the four that he gave the alcohol to girlfriends of two of his
alleged assailants.
The alleged assailants then proceeded to assault the victim
all over the body using mopane tree switches, pipes, shoes and belts.
A day after the assault, the victim was taken to Pelandaba
Clinic and authorities referred him to Mpilo Central Hospital where the initial
police report was made. The victim was eventually moved to UBH where he was
admitted overnight as the doctors assessed his head injuries.
“When the school authorities heard about the fight, they
tried to manage it internally as they had the first fight. But this time the
injuries were too severe and fearing for the boy’s life, they were forced to
seek medical treatment for him,” revealed the source.
According to his medical report seen by this publication,
the 17-year-old had a swollen face, scalp laceration, 2cm x 0,5cm raccoon eye,
swollen feet as well as bruises on the back and shoulders.
The medical report also reads: “The injuries could have
been caused by a blunt instrument. The degree of force used to inflict the
injuries was severe. The injuries caused were serious.”
It also reads that the injuries caused “potential danger of
life” because the head injuries suffered are associated with intracranial
bleeding, but no permanent disability is expected to result from the assault.
Reports from the school suggest that all five boys were suspended from school
for two weeks, but the assailants are reportedly still at school while the
victim was sent home.
The boy’s mother confirmed the suspension and the assault
but declined to comment further.
The school’s head declined to comment, referring all
enquiries to the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education.
Director of Communications and Advocacy in the Ministry Mr
Taungana Ndoro said: “The ministry does not condone violence or bullying in any
form.
Every school must have a strict policy against bullying and
action is always taken depending on the gravity of the case.
Obviously a case like this will be handled by the police
while as the ministry we institute remedial action.
We provide learner support services, guidance and
counselling as well as psychological services and disciplinary action as a last
resort.” Sunday News
0 comments:
Post a Comment