Three in court after girl raped at school hostel

The three grade 12 Maria Louw High School pupils charged with allegedly raping a 13-year-old girl made a brief appearance in the Komani magistrate’s court on Tuesday.

The case was postponed to October 13 for further investigation.

The three grade 12s, aged 19 to 20, are accused of raping the pupil at the school hostel last month.

The Rep reported (“Three matrics charged with raping 13year-old”, July 1) that the boys were arrested after the incident and later released on bail.

Maria Louw High’s principal confirmed that the pupils had been suspended from the school and that the provincial education department was conducting an internal investigation.

The South African Human Rights Commission Eastern Cape provincial office also made a site inspection at the hostel and were expected to conduct a full investigation into the allegations.

Speaking to The Rep, education department spokesperson Malibongwe Mtima said disciplinary processes had been concluded and recommendations were sent to the department’s head office.

“We are waiting for them to be signed before they are communicated to the defendants.

“We will then communicate them with the public,” said Mtima.