A 15-year-old boy will appear in court next week for allegedly stabbing a fellow pupil to death in a fight outside of a school in KwaMhlanga, Mpumalanga.
KwaMhlanga teen accused of murder has prior violent history
In a statement, Nelspruit police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Jabu Ndubane, the incident took place on Thursday afternoon.
While details about the alleged murder are still murky with the investigation in its early stages, authorities confirmed that tensions escalated between two boys, the suspect and a a 17-year-old pupil.
Eyewitnesses reported that tensions between the boys turned deadly when a fight erupted outside the school premises as pupils were headed home.
Questions linger about possible negligence from school officials in preventing the confrontation from escalating further but according to Lt-Col Ngubane, “the fight then proceeded to the street next to the school where the suspect took out a knife, stabbed the victim on the chest, and fled thereafter.”
“The police rushed to the scene and found the victim lying facing up with a stab wound on his left chest. All relevant stakeholders were summoned to the scene and the victim was certified dead by members of Emergency Medical Services (EMS),” the police confirmed.
It did not take long for authorities to track down the 15-year-old, who did not resist arrest when he was approached at his home.
Crucially, police were able to recover the alleged murder weapon, which, by then, was in the possession of the suspect’s friend. While the nature of the friend’s involvement is still under scrutiny, Lt-Col Ngubane confirmed that he too was taken in for questioning.
The 15-year-old faces murder charges and will appear in court next week, where it’s expected he will apply for bail.
However, the exact date of his court appearance could not be confirmed since the boy had yet to be seen by a probation officer.
This procedure usually takes place when a suspect arrested for an alleged crime was out on parole. While authorities have not explicitly confirmed this, the involvement of the probation officer suggests the teen had a prior violent history, possibly a previous conviction.
Details about his identity will only be known when he makes his first court appearance, and even then, the media is barred from revealing his particulars since, according to the law, he is still considered a minor.
Acting Provincial Commissioner Major General Dr Zeph Mkhwanazi welcomed the police’s stellar work in nabbing the suspect, reflecting on the tragedy as yet another indicator of the existence of lawlessness in schools.
“‘It is heartbreaking that such tragic incident involved children. Learners should be focused on their studies, not violence. We urge parents, schools, and communities to work together to address the root cause of youth violence, ” said the Acting Provincial Commissioner