‘Mantoetse Maama
MAFETENG — Five men stormed a boarding school, man-handled and carried a 19-year-old girl from her class to a vehicle on Monday morning. The men, aged between 21 and 29, were on Thursday each sentenced to three years in prison for kidnapping. Noha Likoti, Salemone Lejone, Majara Mohale, Phoka Ntsu and Pitso Shelile appeared before the Mafeteng Magistrate Court this week and were found guilty. They had an option to pay a M5 000 fine but having failed to pay the fine, they will do time in jail.
Reports indicate that the suspects ambushed the girl at her school in Ribaneng High School in the morning. According to one of the teachers, ‘Mamonyake Mpakanyane, one of the suspects came to their school last Sunday claiming to be the victim’s husband. “On Sunday morning the guard came to my house saying there were two men who wanted to see one of our students. I went to meet them. One of them told me that he was husband to the victim. He said the girl stole his money and bank book,” Mpakanyane said.
“I was not aware that the girl was married so we asked the teacher who knows her family. She was also not aware but she called the victim’s mother who said we should not allow him to take her with him,” she said. Mpakanyane said when the man was told about the parent’s response he became infuriated and began swearing as he demanded the items he claimed had been stolen from him by the girl.
“The man became furious and even tried to hit her but then we stopped him. We asked him to leave now that he was fighting,” she added. The following day, Monday, the man is said to have come to the school again in the company of four other men who together man-handled and carried the girl from her class to the vehicle they were travelling in. “They dragged her out of the classroom to a van that was parked outside and went away with her. I thought they could be armed so I informed Matelile and Mpharane police about the incident,” said Mpakanyane. Police spokesperson Thato Ramarikhoane confirmed that five men who were arrested for kidnapping a school girl appeared in the Magistrate Court.
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