Murder-accused Forest High pupil back in court

19-year-old Forest High School pupil Mohammed Mwela, who is accused of stabbing and killing fellow learner, 16-year-old Daniel Bakwela, is expected to appear in the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court again on Wednesday, EWN reports.

Mwela faces charges of murder and attempted murder, after fatally stabbing Bakwela outside the school in Johannesburg south.

In an earlier court appearance in June, Mwela said in his affidavit, which was read into the court record by his legal representative Mudi Mavhengani, that he was dependent on his family and that being incarcerated would affect his studies, as he was currently a grade eleven learner at Forest High School.

He claims that the victim hit him with a stone and dropped his knife, which Mwela then picked up and stabbed Bakwela out of self-defence. Two other boys were also stabbed. He also alleged that Bakwela and two others were part of the Stouter Kinders gang.

He was granted R5 000 bail on June 10, and was ordered not to interact with witnesses or enter the school premises until the case has been concluded.

(Compiled by Nica Schreuder)

Additional reporting by African News Agency (ANA)

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