Two City Law Enforcement
officers and are facing
criminal charges, after they
allegedly assaulted and arrested a seven-year-old laaitie.
The boy told counsellors the officers also handcuffed him for allegedly stealing a R5.
The angry family of Ehiven Prince say they are not budging until the City and the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) take action against the officers and the teacher who allegedly hit the little boy, leaving him traumatised two weeks ago.
On Monday, the Daily Voice saw the scared child at Manenberg Police Station. He was brought in for counselling, but when a uniformed officer greeted him, he ran to his father.
Dad, John Morris, says his son also refuses to go to school.
“Last week he wasn’t really talking and only told us that they said he stole a R5 and that they handcuffed him and went to go buy gatsbys.
“Now he is a bit calmer and told us the teacher hit him with a ruler and the Law Enforcement officers also hit him before they handcuffed him, so I opened a case against them.
“I want to know why the school did not let us know what was happening and if they gave the Law Enforcement permission to take him off the premises. They can’t just do that.”
Police spokesperson, Siyabulela Malo, confirms the case is being investigated and says no arrests have been made so far.
City director for Safety and
Security, Richard Bosman, says they are not aware of the criminal
charges and says they tried to reach the family on 21 October.
“The investigation into the
matter continues. The officer involved is currently off work and as soon as he returns, we will take the matter further.”
WCED spokesperson, Bronagh Hammond, says the Law Enforcement officer is a school resource officer who has since been replaced.
“The principal made a home visit on Monday to speak to the learner and the parents to encourage him to return to school, and offer
counselling support. They were not at home.”
But the boy says the principal was the one who had threatened to have him arrested, if he could not find the wallet and the money in a patch of grass.