Two Cambridge High School matric pupils who were arrested for allegedly forcing a 14-year-old boy to masturbate and filming the incident were granted bail of R500 each in the East London magistrate’s court on Monday.
The pupils, aged 18 and 19, missed out on their Mathematics paper 2 examination in the morning while they faced charges of compelled self-sexual assault and violations of the Films and Publications Act.
The pair were arrested on Saturday at their East London homes. Their parents were said to have begged the police to allow them to write their paper.
The alleged incident is said to have occurred on Thursday during school hours, but outside the school premises, when the accused allegedly instructed the 14-year-old, a grade 8 pupil, to masturbate.
The boy is said to have initially refused and was allegedly threatened before performing the act.
The 18-year old suspect is alleged to have taken the video and shared it on social media.
During their court appearance, the state did not object to the accused’s application for bail because they were still writing exams and did not pose a flight risk.
However, East London magistrate Melvyn Meyer warned them to stay away from the alleged victim and also ordered that the video be removed from all social media networks.
The case was postponed to December 10 for further investigation.
Outside court, a relative of one of the accused said the families had been pained by the arrest and would apply for the two pupils to write a special exam.
She added that they had reached out to the family of the alleged victim.
The 18-year-old’s parents were also in court but the complainant’s family did not attend Monday’s proceedings.
Cambridge High School headmaster Spencer Welman told the Dispatch the school had been notified of the arrest of the pair on Sunday night.
He said he had escalated the matter to the provincial education department for an investigation.
“We are working with the department on the matter and they are looking into it.
“We are also in contact with the parents and, most importantly, the young learner who is a victim in all of this.
“It is a very big concern for us, a situation as serious as this, and we are providing counselling for the learner to make sure he gets all the necessary assistance he needs.
“I can safely say our code of conduct will obviously take its course.”
Welman confirmed that both the accused had missed their exam on Monday morning.
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