Grade 9 learner arrested for possession of unlicensed firearm

A Grade 9 learner from a school in Masoyi appeared in the Kabokweni Children’s Court seated in the magistrates’ court on charges of possession of an unlicensed firearm, Mpumalanga News reports.

The learner was arrested on Monday after he shot and injured a passerby on his leg outside his school premises on Friday. It is alleged that the injured man was walking some metres away from where the learners were when he heard the sound of a firearm.

When he turned to check as to what was happening, he noticed that he was injured on his leg and saw two learners running away.

The injured man was rushed to hospital. The matter was also reported to the police at Masoyi.

According to Captain Naniki Nonyane, the learner stole the firearm from his grandfather because he wanted to protect himself from another learner who was allegedly bullying him at school.

“Police arrested the learner on Monday. He appeared in court on charges of possession of an unlicensed firearm and attempted murder. He was released on warning to the custody of his parents and will appear again in court on June 6,” Nonyane says.

Today, police from Masoyi conducted a crime awareness campaign at Bambanani Combined School to educate learners about the dangers of committing crime. Learners were also urged to report bullies to their teachers and the police station.

“We urge learners to refrain from committing crime. We also told them about the disadvantages of having a criminal record at their age,” says Nonyane.

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