• Tweet

CHARGED: From left, initiation school principal Daniel Thabatau with teachers Lehlohonolo Thabatau, Mohau Motumi and Sesing Chapi face murder charges in the Botshabelo Magistrate's Court. PHOTO: NTWAAGAE SELEKA

 They died under my care and I feel that I should play a part in their burials 

RELATED ARTICLES

• 4 held for Free State initiation deaths
• 4 more initiates die
• Rape accused's evidence 'can't be trusted'
• Bishop accused of assaulting priest
• Accused threatens our photographer
• Accused supporters attack Sowetan photographer
• Foster mom accused of stealing from girl, who is feared dead
• Baby killing accused for mental check-up
• New Zealand rugby player accused of rape
• Accuser offered $500K for silence in US abuse case

Daniel Thabatau, 29, yesterday asked magistrate Catherine le Roux to let him out of prison to assist the families of the deceased with their burials.

"I ask this court to release me today to go and assist the families of those boys. They died under my care and I feel that I should play a part in their burials," Thabatau said.

But Le Roux told him there was no way he would be released. "You are facing serious charges of murder. This court is not going to release you before you formally apply for bail.

"You should first have a legal representative to assist you with the formal bail application and the trial. If convicted you could be sent to jail for a long time. People facing such serious charges need lawyers to represent them," Le Roux said.

Thabatau, his younger brother Lehlohonolo Thabatau, 26, and two other teachers, Mohau Motumi, 24, and Sesing Chapi, 21, are facing four counts of murder and assault with intend to cause grievous bodily harm.

The men allegedly killed initiates Morena Potsane, 17, Mthandazo Kuzwayo, 19, Itumeleng Tshiane, 19, and another initiate who has not been identified.

The deceased were severely assaulted on their upper bodies and their buttocks were burnt with hot iron rods at the weekend.

Police spokeswoman Constable Consolation Mokoale said the police became aware of the four deaths after one of the initiates died in hospital from severe assault wounds.

Police went to the school and found 30 initiates and three bodies.

Eleven of the initiates were taken to hospital with serious injuries. The school was not registered.

Mokoale said they are battling with illegal initiation schools that are mushrooming in Botshabelo and Thaba Nchu.

Last week, Itumeleng Mojafi, 17, died under mysterious circumstances at an initiation school in Thaba Nchu. No arrests have been made in connection with his death. Last year three initiates were also killed at initiation schools in Thaba Nchu. The initiates were from Ficksburg, Free State.

Thabatau and his three co-accused are expected to appear again in court next week for their formal bail application. - ntwaagaes@sowetan.co.za

Comments

• Sign in or sign up to comment

Sat May 25 20:56:31 SAST 2013 ::

Jul 4, 2012

Pointman

Principals, teachers - no - these guys are thugs who did not understand how to care for kids. They must have beaten those kids savagely for them to have died and others to have ended up in hospital. This was just a money making scam for them.
Report Abuse

Jul 4, 2012

MGEEZ

Released from Prison to assist the families with the burial of the kids??? Did you smoke pot???
Report Abuse

Jul 4, 2012

Prosemari

How does a 21 year old become a teacher at an initiation school?
Report Abuse

Jul 4, 2012

Thomi

Initiation schools are normally run by traditional healers.In this incident I never heard anthing about any healer here.Ather kids are sent to these schools by their parents,why would the parents send their kids to the school that is run by a 29 year old boy.

I would only feel for those parents whom their kids went there without their permission.Not that also justifies leaving things like that once you hear that your boy went there.The police are here for a reason,kids gets returned from the mountains using the police officers every year.Why leave things like that if your family doesn't even believe in those things?
Report Abuse

Jul 4, 2012

NasieBoy

Why don't these kids get circumsized at the clinic, then go to the mountain after, is it wrong to do it that way?
Report Abuse

Jul 4, 2012

mambozana

At the age of 21 you are still not experience to take care of anyone in the initiation school, uselikrwala and personally think they were just after a quick buck with their broke a...ss. they must go to jail and be circumsised again and maybe that will put some brains in their heads. Also to be blamed guys are parents, because before all this they need to gather info and some adults's views on the matter.
Report Abuse

Jul 4, 2012

xhosagirl

We all can see this are criminals look at them, how can a normal parent let brings kids to this people
Report Abuse

Jul 4, 2012

Stumaeza

No bail for murder
Report Abuse

Jul 4, 2012

KeRataBasadi

The parents who allow this to happen to their children should be charged too.
Report Abuse

Jul 4, 2012

Nkasegobotsesephirise

He think his release will be used to buy deceases families.Money is not everything principal.
Report Abuse

Read all 54 comments