School kids to appear in court for vandalism

Oscar Thomas
17 January 2015

Six schoolchildren aged between 11 and 12-years-old appeared in the Alexandria Magistrate Court this week following vandalism incidents that took place at the Alexandria High School. 

22 children were implicated in the incident.  The case has been postponed to the 20th of January.  Lieutenant Luvuyo Mjekula said it emerged that the children had entered and trashed almost every classroom.

Mjekula said according to a police report windows and doors were broken to gain access; walls were covered in paint; books and stationery thrown onto the floors; water taps were left open; graffiti was written on doors and blackboards and the perpetrators urinated and defecated on the floor of the hall.

Mjekula said they even went as far as to steal stationery and toys from the classrooms.

Mjekula said after their raid on the school, the children also allegedly broke into the tearoom of the personnel and helped themselves to some tea and coffee.

Mjekula said Investigations also revealed that only one of the 22 learners goes to the school. Others are from local primary schools.

Mjekula said Alexandria police said because some of the children were under the age of 10, criminal proceedings could not be instituted against all of them.

Mjekula said however, six of them, aged between 11 and 12, appeared in court last week on charges of housebreaking and theft.

Mjekula said they were all placed in the care of their parents/guardians and the case was postponed.

Mjekula said all were accompanied by their parents and a social worker.

“The case was postponed in chambers, to Tuesday, 20 January 2015, for further investigation Mjekula added.