Thuto-Tiro stabbing: Case withdrawn

The case against the 15-year-old pupil accused of stabbing a schoolmate to death with a pair of scissors in Thuto-Tiro Comprehensive School has been provisionally withdrawn, police said on Wednesday morning.

“The matter was withdrawn for the police to complete its outstanding investigation. When the investigation is complete the matter is going to be taken back to court,” Captain Fikile Funda told TimesLIVE.

Tshepo Mphehlo was allegedly killed by the 15-year-old on Monday morning in a classroom at the school in Sebokeng Zone 10, Gauteng. The Grade 9 pupil was stabbed in the chest with a pair of scissors.

Mphehlo’s mother, Dikeledi, could not contain her tears as representatives from the school governing body and residents, walked to her home to offer their support.

The 44-year-old said after hearing what had happened to her son at school, she was unaware who had stabbed him. It was only after demanding to see the picture of the alleged perpetrator did she realise that it was Tshepo’s friend.

Dikeledi said the revelation had left her shocked to the core because the two were close, adding she was also close to the suspect’s mother. “Seeing that it was a child I know who allegedly killed my child, I didn’t know what kind of test God had put before me. I felt a lot of pain. I didn’t know what to do. I felt pain for my child and [also for] the one who killed him,” an emotional Dikeledi said.

Tshepo and his alleged killer have been friends since they were young and attended the same primary school before moving to Thuto-Tiro Comprehensive School to pursue their high school education.

The family said never in their wildest dreams did they think that a tragedy like this would happen, with one of the boys lying in the mortuary and the other in custody facing a murder charge.