A second teacher of the prestigious private boys’ school St Andrew’s in Bloemfontein was arrested on Wednesday in connection with alleged child abuse.
The 56-year-old suspect was arrested after the family violence unit of the police seized photo-albums, computer disks and videotapes with images of nude St Andrew’s schoolboys during a raid on his house, police representative Superintendent Annelie van der Bank said.
The images were allegedly taken during school camps. Van der Bank confirmed that the charges against the man were connected to those against a 32-year-old former teacher at St Andrew’s, who earlier appeared in the Bloemfontein Magistrate’s Court on charges of indecent assault of four schoolboys.
Van der Bank said the material seized from the suspect’s home was allegedly produced during school camps attended by both the suspect and the 32-year-old.
The latest raid followed information obtained by police during their investigation of the 32-year-old.
It was not yet clear whether other teachers also appeared in the confiscated pictures and whether more arrests were to follow, Van der Bank said.
Neither of the arrested can be identified because they have not pleaded in court yet.
Van der Bank said the suspect would appear in the Bloemfontein Magistrate’s Court later on Wednesday for a bail application. The 32-year-old is currently out on bail and has to appear again in court on May 6.
He allegedly indecently assaulted four boys between the ages of 11 and 17 during the period 1995 to 2001, when he was a teacher at St Andrew’s as well as caretaker of one of the hostels. He resigned in 2001. – Sapa