Boy stabbed 9 times for phone

2008-01-18 09:49

Nicolize van der Walt

Klerksdorp - A 15-year-old boy from Lichtenburg is recovering in Wilmed Park Private Hospital after three attackers overpowered him and stabbed him nine times while trying to steal his bicycle and cellphone.

Theo Nel, a Grade 9 pupil at Lichtenburg High School, was on his way to a shop to buy a cellphone top-up voucher when the three men overpowered him on Thursday afternoon.

"One of them grabbed my shirt to stop me. He said his brother had been stabbed with a knife and I had to help him to get the nearest phone. I tried to continue cycling, but they pulled me off the bicycle and started stabbing me," said Theo, who was stabbed in the ribs, arms, back and sides. He prevented them from stabbing him in the neck.

Theo fought back when they tried to pin him down in order to take the bicycle and cellphone. At one stage they also tried to pull off his pants.

"I fought back because I didn't want to hand over my bicycle. They were big boys - as big as matric boys. They left with my phone and earphones."

Tanya Shepard and Monique Bartlett, friends of the family, drove past in a bakkie and hooted when they noticed what was happening. The three suspects ran away. Two of them were later arrested.

Blood all over him

"It was terrible to see my child like that. I heard the bakkie stop and a noise outside. Then I saw him. There was blood all over him," said Theo's mother Heidi de Jager, a civilian police employee.

She and Hannes de Jager, Theo's stepfather, immediately rushed him to the nearest doctor.

Hannes said he was "out of his mind" and went searching for the criminals in the streets of Lichtenburg.

Police spokesperson Inspector Carina Fourie confirmed the incident.

- Beeld