Tebogo Msimanga |
The Pretoria Magistrates’ Court denied Bongani Timothy Ntuli (29) bail. Ntuli, a teacher from Spark Primary School is facing a charge of raping a grade 6 learner from his school.
It is alleged on 05 May 2022, the mother of the 12-year-old boy noticed some behavioural changes in the child, as he was not eating his favourite food.
Gauteng National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) Spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana said later that day, the mother noticed that her child was struggling to sleep and had some bleeding.
“The following day, the mother noticed that money was withdrawn from her account, and when she confronted him, he informed the mother that he took the money to buy the teacher a PlayStation 4, for him to stop bullying him”. The mother reported the matter to the police and Ntuli was arrested on 18 May 2022.
Mahanjana added that in court, the accused asked to be released on bail, however, the state prosecutor Lorinda van Pittius, told the court that it was not in the best interest of justice, for the accused to be released on bail because he was not yet suspended at the school and he might pose as a treat to the victim. “Therefore, no exceptional circumstances were warranting his release on bail. The magistrate, denied his bail, saying that the accused did not satisfy the court that it was in the interest of justice that he should be released on bail”.
The matter is postponed to 13 June 2022.
