A knife-wielding teen robber who attacked and stabbed a school child appeared in the Athlone Magistrates’ Court on Monday after spending the long weekend in the mang.
According to a witness the 18-year-old robber covered his face with a scarf and waited for his victim, a 16-year-old boy, to cross a veldjie as he walked to school on Wednesday morning.
The 59-year-old female witness, who asked not to be named, says shortly after 7am, she saw a man sitting by a tree and shortly afterwards she heard screams.
“I saw him sitting by a tree with a scarf over his face and then I heard screams. When I went to look he was sitting on top of the boy and wanted to take his cellphone, but he fought back and the robber stabbed him in the right hand. His scarf fell off and I saw his face.”
18-year-old charged with attempted robbery of a schoolboy. Picture supplied
She says residents rushed to the aid of the Grade 8 learner from Cathkin High School who was taken to school and later taken to Heideveld Emergency Centre for medical treatment.
Police spokesperson, Siyabulela Malo, confirms the case and says: “It has been reported that a male suspect wanted to rob a 16-year-old learner of his
cellphone and in this process he was stabbed in his hand.”
According to a source the robber was arrested the next day by Manenberg cops and charged with attempted robbery: “He told us that the laatie was looking for trouble with him the day before, but he is lying. The child who was stabbed, is from Gugulethu, and was walking alone.”