Student kills another over nickname dispute

Tefo Pheage | Monday August 22, 2016 16:07

 

The Monitor has gathered that the incident happened outside the Design and Technology class where a dispute is said to have erupted following several warnings from the nickname bearer who repeatedly showed his distastes over the said nickname.

Palapye police station commander, Waboraro Ramaja confirmed the murder incident to this publication further saying they are still investigating the case. “We have a murder case in which a 17-year-old boy has been stabbed by a 15-year-old boy on his head to death using a scissor,” Ramaja said. 

He said the incident happened at Mokgalo Junior Secondary School, further adding the student died immediately as he was certified dead upon arrival at Lecheng Clinic. Ramaja however declined to go into details, saying, “at this juncture we cannot say anything. We are not sure because investigations into the case are ongoing.”

The station commander however said the murder suspect student who is currently in police custody will be tried as a juvenile, further adding that all juvenile criminal processes will be used against him. “A social worker will be engaged to study the murder accused’s background and the legal process will take place,” said Ramaja. Meanwhile, both families are said to be reeling in shock at the incident and police are keeping a close eye on any possibilities. The Children’s Act defines a juvenile court as a magistrate’s court or a customary court sitting for the purpose of hearing charges against persons aged between seven and 18 or exercising any other jurisdiction conferred by the Act. Serious cases are heard by the High Court, which is not bound by the provisions on juvenile courts in the Children’s Act.

The minimum age of criminal responsibility is eight. The Children’s Act defines a child as under 14; a juvenile as aged 17. The Children’s Act states that every magistrate’s court is a children’s court and shall hear and determine charges against children aged between 14 and 16years.  The charges are mainly given to reform the convict rather than punitive charges which older people are usually subjected to.