Principal arrested, faces attempted murder charges after forcing scholar to retrieve phone in pit toilet

By SIHLE MKHIZE

A high school principal at the Eastern Cape, town of Ugie, was arrested on Monday following an incident where he coerced an 11-year-old scholar into jumping into an active pit latrine to retrieve his cell phone.

It’s is reported that the cell phone had fallen into the pit latrine, and the principal dangled a R200 carrot on the boy, coercing him to agree to the unfortunate incident.
A local man recorded the incident on his cell phone and reported the matter to authorities. The video has since gone viral on social media.

The principal has also been suspended from his position as head of Luthuthu Junior Secondary School after the incident. He was also arrested and charged with attempted murder.

According to a police spokesman, Khaya Tonjeni, the 49-year-old principal allegedly made the boy undress and tied a rope around his waist before lowering him onto the pit latrine.

He was expected to appear at the Nqanqarha Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday to answer to the charges against him.