Cop in court for fatal shooting

2010-09-17 07:42

Bloemfontein - A policeman arrested in connection with the shooting of a schoolgirl during an exams protest at Allanridge in the Free State appeared in court on Thursday.

An Odendaalsrus Magistrate's Court official said Warrant Officer Petrus Molete was granted bail of R3 000, and the case was postponed to October 19 for further investigation .

Molete was arrested on Tuesday evening after he allegedly shot Allanridge high school pupil Nontsikelelo Nokela, 17, during a protest over preliminary matric exams on Monday.

Pelted with stones

Earlier, Independent Complaints Directorate spokesperson Moses Dlamini said police claimed they were pelted with stones when they arrived at the Wesi and Mosala secondary schools in Allanridge.

He said it was alleged that one police officer fired a warning shot which ricocheted off the ground and struck the girl.

Nokela was rushed to hospital in a police van, but was declared dead on arrival.

Some 1 000 members of the student movement Congress of South African Students marched to the Allanridge police station on Thursday to hand over a memorandum.

Free State police spokesperson Captain Stephan Thakeng said the group dispersed peacefully after the march.

One of its demands was that Molete be denied bail.

Unrest

Thakeng said 18 people had been arrested in Allanridge since unrest flared in the town on Monday night.

Tuck shops belonging to Bangladeshi citizens in Nyakallong township had been attacked and looted.

Police had opened cases of public violence, malicious damage to property, and two house robberies.

Thakeng said a clinic was also damaged by stone throwers.

Police were still monitoring the situation at the town.

- SAPA