By Agreement Mabunda
POLOKWANE-A 17-year-old male Grade 11 learner appeared before Polokwane Children’s Court on Monday 26 and Tuesday 27 August 2024 on charges of rape and sexual assault in separate incidents.
According to reports, the first victim, a 6-year-old girl in Grade R, was raped (fingered) by the accused, a Grade 11 learner at one of the Christian schools outside Polokwane in Dalmada, on Wednesday, 07 August 2024 while waiting in the vehicle of one of the teachers who was transporting them to their residence.
In the second incident, a 6-year-old grade R victim met with the same accused, who asked her to touch his private parts while going to drink water at school.
Both the victims reported the matter to their parents, who later reported it to the school. Both cases were opened by the police on Friday, 23 August 2024. The accused was arrested on Saturday, 24 August 2024, after being handed in by the adopted mother.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the accused, a foreign national, was staying with his adopted mother, who is also a teacher at the school.
He was then detained at Polokwane Juvenile Centre until his first appearance. The case was postponed to Tuesday, 10 September 2024 for further investigations.
