Boys up for murder
2003-08-19 08:45
Pretoria - The son of the principal of Waterkloof High School in Pretoria will be summonsed to appear in Pretoria regional court to face charges of murder and assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm.
The director of public prosecutions decided three pupils at this prestigeous school should be charged together with Chistoff Becker, 18, son of Dr Christo Becker, for an alleged incident in December 2001.
Becker is a matriculant of Garsfontein High School in the east of the city. Two of his friends are Waterkloof matriculants and the third boy is a Grade 11 pupil, reports Marietie Louw.
Beeld has learned police initially launched an inquest, but later changed it to a murder docket.
The allegations police investigated arose from an incident when an unidentified man was kicked, beaten and stomped on the head in a veld in Witdoring Lane, Moreleta Park. He was apparently suspected of being a burglar.
The man was allegedly also hit on the head repeatedly with an iron object before being abandoned in the veld. His attackers apparently returned later to remove evidence.
The man apparently begged to see a doctor, and was allegedly rewarded with more kicking.
He died from a stab wound in the right thigh and two gashes to his scalp. His body was never claimed.
In another alleged incident a man was hit across the head in Constantia Park. His attackers allegedly first drove away,
then returned to assault the man.
The man apparently tried to escape but was tackled. His attackers allegedly stomped on his head and kicked him before fleeing.
The director of public prosecutions has decided not to prosecute three other boys, who will testify against their friends for the state.