EL teacher on sex charge applies for bail

A teacher who allegedly sexually assaulted two 12-year-old pupils at a primary school near East London appeared in the East London Magistrate’s Court for a formal bail application on Wednesday.

The man, 32, was arrested on October 25 after he was reported by the  victims to social workers, and subsequently to the police.

The alleged crime is said to have happened on October 21.

The two girls are said to be in grade 5.

It is alleged that the teacher touched the girls in an inappropriate manner.

In a written statement, read by his attorney, Bulwana Bangani, the accused pleaded not guilty and stated that he is not fully aware of the charges laid against him, except that he is said to have inappropriately touched his two learners.

Bangani stated that the teacher has since been suspended, with effect from the November 1.

During the court proceedings, the member of the SAPS in the directorate of child protection, who is an investigating officer on the matter, Sergeant Thenjiswa Lanzela, took the witness box and opposed bail.

She stated that one of the two victims divulged the matter to another learner, who happened to have had a similar encounter from the same teacher.

Lanzela said the child advised the two girls to take the matter and report it elsewhere instead of the school for fear that staff would conceal the matter.

Lanzela saLanzelateacher called the two victims on two different instances, deceitfully teaching them how to type when using a computer and when they would type as shown, the teacher would open in his phone and play a pornography video.

She said it was during that time that the teacher touched them in their private parts.

Lanzela also stated how other teachers seemed to have intimidated the learners.

She stated that one teacher went to the class and told the learners that they will not be having any teacher, they might as well be taught by the two victims.

“The mother of one of the victims called me yesterday, saying the teachers at the school are persuading her to ask the investigating officer to grant bail to the accused,” she said.

When asked by the prosecutor, Nozuko Notyawa, if there was any intervention the police had made, Lanzela responded: “We had earlier approached the teachers to stop intimidating the learners, that is what we have done so far.”

She also stated that a case  would be opened against the teachers who had allegedly took part in intimidating the victims.

“We are going to open a case of defeating the ends of justice for the alleged intimidator teachers,” she said.

Education department spokesperson Malibongwe Mtima t confirmed the teacher had been suspended from his duties.