Suspects who sold space cookies to learners to appear in court

Three learners out of the 90 who received medical attention after eating space cookies at school are still in hospital.

The three pupils are still recovering at George Mukhari Hospital in Tshwane.

“We admitted three because of the symptoms they were showing and it's not that they consumed more, but it's because they were not responding to the medication. Remember, people who smoke dagga don't show the same symptoms. The children are under our supervision and they are doing well,” said a health practitioner who addressed parents during a meeting at Pulamadibogo Primary School in Soshanguve on Thursday.

The meeting follows and incident on Wednesday in which pupils had to be rushed to different health facilities when they started falling sick after consuming the dagga-laced cookies they bought from men outside the school.

Two suspects aged 19 and 21 have since been arrested and are expected to appear before the Soshanguve magistrate’s court on Friday. 

Pulamadibogo Primary School principal told the parents some children were given the muffins for free. 

“It was a case of buy one get one free. While some learners were given for free, others were forced to eat the muffins,” said the principal. 

According to the school’s report, learners showed different symptoms such as being hyperactive, while others were weak and had headaches. About seven ambulances were used to take  the children to different health facilities.

The parents have claimed to know the suspects, whom they said were known for selling dagga in the area.