A LEARNER (17) at Fumana Secondary School was arrested on October 22 with a jungle survival knife he allegedly used to stab and intimidate fellow learners.
According to Supt Wilfred Kgasago, spokesperson for EMPD, the learner’s reign of terror started on October 9 when the suspect stabbed three fellow learners outside the schoolyard. Two of the victims received serious injuries that required care at a medical facility. From this point onward, the suspect allegedly approached several boys on a daily basis with the knife, threatening to injure them.
The actions of the learner remained unreported until the matter came to a head on October 22. On this day, five boys ran into the principal’s office seeking refuge from the suspect with the knife. This prompted a teacher to alert EMPD Thokoza precinct officers, who rushed to the school. With assistance from the school factotum, he managed to arrest the learner who was trying to escape by climbing over the school’s perimeter fence.
The suspect claimed to the officers he had acted out of self-defence as he had received word that certain boys wanted to beat him up.
The suspect was handcuffed and detained at Katlehong Police Station on charges of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, intimidation, assault as well as attempted murder. He was expected to appear in the Palm Ridge Magistrate’s Court on October 23.
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