Thaba Nchu schoolboy raped by five classmates

Five Free State schoolboys have appeared in court for raping their 13-year-old classmate.

The Grade 7 boy was raped at a school in Thaba Nchu‚ the provincial education department confirmed on Tuesday. The incident took place last week.

"It was after school and the victim was heading out when he was allegedly called by a group of boys. These boys have been causing a reign of terror at the school‚" said department spokesman Howard Ndaba.

He said that the boys were known to be bullies and were troublesome to their teachers.

"They told him 'the boss is calling you'. This one knew not to ignore such [an instruction]‚" said Ndaba.

The victim was alleged to have followed the gang of boys‚ aged 13 and 14‚ to the bathroom.

"There all five of them are alleged to have sodomised him‚" said Ndaba.

The victim‚ who is 13‚ went home‚ where his parents noticed something was wrong.

"He tried to hide it and said he was injured at soccer but the parents did not believe him‚" Ndaba added.

His parents took him to the doctor and it was confirmed that the young boy had been penetrated.

"The five were taken in for questioning by the police over the weekend‚” said Ndaba.

They have appeared in court‚ but Ndaba did could not immediately say what the outcome of the court proceedings was.

Ndaba said that the learners were in the middle of exams and the victim had struggled to sit for his exams.

The matter was still being investigated by the department.