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MBABANE – The parent of the nine-year-boy who was rushed to hospital after he was heavily beaten by his teacher says the police discouraged her from opening a case against the teacher.

She stated that last Friday, after discovering what had befallen her child, went to hospital where she was advised to come with a police report. She then went to Satellite Police Post in Ezulwini and asked to open an assault case. She said the response she got from one of the senior officers was shocking. “He asked me why I was opening a case because it is not like my child is in Intensive Care Unit (ICU),” she said.

Dramatic

Instead, the parent said she was told to wait until Monday as the school had asked. The parent said the officers told her to stop being dramatic but rather go to the school to solve the matter there than opening a case. After the senior officers utterance, she said none of the police were keen on helping her further. She then went to Lobamba Police Station on Saturday where she opened a case.

Chief Police Information and Communications Officer Superintendent Phindile Vilakati explained that there might have been a misunderstanding between the mother and the officer. She stated that officers urged her to go and treat the child first then return for opening the case. “The police were still waiting for her to come back,” she said. Vilakati said the priority in this case was to save the child, hence they issued the police report which was supposed to be used for the child to be attended by health practitioners.