Principal allegedly shielded accused sex pest teacher, court reveals
Image: Supplied
The principal of Harvester Primary School is under investigation after she allegedly obstructed and defeated the ends of justice following the arrest of a former teacher for sexual grooming of a child and exposing a child to explicit material.
Police spokesperson, FC van Wyk, said: 'This office can confirm that a criminal case docket is being investigated in which the school principal is the subject. The charges as outlined by the Directorate of Public Prosecution are obstructing and defeating the ends of justice and contravention of Section 54 of Sexual Offences Act 32 of 2007 - failing to report that a child is a victim of sexual offence.'
The investigation follows after the 35-year-old former Grade R teacher was caught after she allegedly sent an explicit video of herself to a Grade 7 learner.
She is currently appearing in the Mitchells Plain Magistrate's Court on charges of sexual grooming of a child and exposing a child to explicit material.
The court previously heard a testimony from the investigating officer in the case, Warrant Officer Roland Peters, who said the case was reported to Lentegeur police station on June 9.
The court heard that he went to the school on June 10, when the principal allegedly said she was made aware of the allegations by a concerned parent of an explicit dirty video sent by the teacher on June 4.
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Peters said the principal went to the house of the victim on June 6 to collect the cellphone to gather evidence on the allegations, however, the court heard that she did not report the matter to SAPS but rather the Western Cape Education Department (WCED).
Peters said she told him she felt it was not her responsibility to report it to the police as she had already informed the WCED.
The court heard that on June 12, Peters returned to the school and informed the principal that they were going to arrest the teacher; however, she informed them that the teacher was doing administration work at the WCED regional offices.
She then informed police officials to meet her at the WCED regional offices.
Peters said: 'We waited for a half an hour and the principal did not arrive. We then entered the building and we spoke to the manager who informed us that he had just returned back from dropping off the [teacher] at a family member's house in Strandfontein. He was given information by the principal to remove [the teacher] from the premises as there was protest action… From there we proceeded to the Strandfontein address, but did not find the teacher.'
The court heard that police officials were given an address in Athlone where they found the accused at her home and arrested her.
The matter against the principal is still under investigation while the teacher is awaiting her bid for bail. Get your news on the go, click here to join the Cape Argus News WhatsApp channel.
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