28 Sep 2020

Police in Tonota are investigating an incident in which a Form Five pupil was badly injured with a softball bat on the head while trying to reconcile a gang fight.

Speaking in an interview on Friday, Tonota Police Station Commander, Superintendent Oteng Ngada said they received a report from school of a gang fight that erupted between Shashe River School pupils and some boys from the community.

Supt Ngada said the two gangs were fighting over a phone which was said to have been stolen and allegedly belonging to one of the pupils of Shashe River School.

He said the owner of the stolen phone approached the suspect demanding his phone back, and that the suspect became aggressive.

The alleged owner of the phone asked his friends to help him get his phone back.

The suspect also brought his friends along for back-up, resulting in an ugly fight.

Supt Ngada said during the fight, a Form-Five pupil intervened and tried to settle the fight, but was hit on the head with a softball bat and fell to the ground.

“The victim was hit and left unconscious on the ground for some time, but he later woke up and was rushed to the clinic where he got treated and discharged for bed rest,” he said.

He said the victim was recovering while police were still on the search for the perpetrator.

Supt Ngada said the community was concerned about school fights and that, as the police, they had intensified patrols to curb the illicit behaviour of pupils.

He said before COVID-19, police used to address pupils about the consequences of untoward behaviour, including gang fights, drugs and alcohol abuse, and how having a criminal record could affect their future life.

He said the police have collaborated with the school management and guidance and counselling teachers to campaign against unruly behaviour within schools by pupils.

Supt Ngada also urged the school community to keep in touch with the police and to be proactive in reporting perpetrators. ends