Pupil accused of assaulting Lufuno Mavhunga ‘not safe outside’, court hears

The investigating officer in the case of a 14-year-old girl accused of assaulting Lufuno Mavhunga told the Thohoyandou Magistrate’s Court it would be in her best interest if she was detained at a youth care centre.

Speaking to the media outside court, National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Mashudu Malabi-Dzhangi said her formal bail application started on Thursday.

“The defence submitted an affidavit and closed its case. The State called the investigating officer who testified that the child is not safe outside,” Malabi-Dzhangi added.

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“He has given some incident, of which I will not be able to divulge, and [he said] it is also for the best interest of the child to be kept at a youth care centre.”

The bail hearing has been set for 28 and 29 April 2021.

The alleged assault was captured on video and it showed Mavhunga, who did not retaliate, being manhandled and slapped across her face multiple times by a fellow Mbilwi Secondary School pupil.

Other children could be heard cheering in the background, News24 reported.

Two pupils from the Limpopo school were suspended in connection with the alleged assault.

News24 also reported Mavhunga later apparently committed suicide.

According to Limpopo police, after the incident, Mavhunga went home, locked herself in a room, and consumed a large number of pills.

She was rushed to hospital and declared dead on arrival.

The teenager was subsequently arrested and charged with assault.

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