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Bouncers 'not friends' with teen
10/09/2007 09:39 - (SA)
Annelene Moses, Beeld
Johannesburg - The two bouncers who were arrested for possession of and dealing in drugs at a party where a "doctored drink" had caused the death of Lezaan Kriel, 17, were not her friends.
An 18-year-old matric pupil from Florida High School in Roodepoort and a 19-year-old former pupil were arrested last week. Lezaan was a grade 11-pupil at this school.
According to her father, Francois Kriel, he and his wife, Subeth, knew their daughter's circle of friends quite well.
"We heard about the arrest and I asked Lezaan's friends if they knew the boys. They said they knew about them, but they were not friends. There are normally different groups at schools. The children couldn't believe that the boys were arrested."
Depends on the upbringing
Superintendent Piet Byleveld, the top detective who became involved in the case last week, said there was not much he could reveal about the investigation at this stage. He did, however, confirm that the two suspects were bouncers and that they attended the party in Constantiakloof. Byleveld has been investigating bouncer-related violence countrywide since October last year.
Kriel said he felt sorry for the parents of the two boys. "It's difficult for every parent. One never expects it from your children, but I believe it depends on one's upbringing."
He said it was difficult since Lezaan's funeral on Friday. Lezaan's "place was empty", especially when they did things she used to do with them, like going to church.
"Even if it's difficult, there's comfort in the senselessness. Also in the fact that the news spread and that parents might learn a lot from it. We find solace in knowing that we had a model daughter - many parents might not be so lucky."
Lezaan wanted to study tourism after matric and loved animals, especially horses. She got a dachshund, Tinkles, as a present from her parents two months ago.
A friend of the 18-year-old boy said he looked tough and like somebody you would not like to tangle with, but that he was actually quite a nice person.
She said he was a Christian who was baptised as an adult and just recently "preached" to someone. He was a bouncer at Club Evolution in Midrand.
"I still can't believe he was arrested. I know he was involved with the wrong crowd. The 19-year-old boy is very crude and I try to avoid him."
Another pupil said the matric pupil usually turned up at school on his motorcycle and wearing a leather jacket. She described his friends as a "rough bunch".
The friend said they were still battling to come to terms with Lezaan's death at school. On top of that they had to find out that the boys, who might appear in the Roodepoort Magistrate's Court on Monday, had been implicated.
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