Matatiele school principal not a person of interest in minor's rape, say police
On Tuesday, both Mchunu and Masemola moved to set the record straight on the matter, as the EFF pushed the police to answer whether or not a DNA has been taken from the school principal.
Matatiele residents and various civil organisations marched to the police station to hand over a petition demanding justice for the children who've been raped in the area. Picture: Kayleen Morgan/Eyewitness News
CAPE TOWN - Police say the principal of the Matatiele school in the Eastern Cape, where a seven-year-old girl is believed to have been raped in 2024 is not a person of interest in their investigation.
Both Police Minister Senzo Mchunu and Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola on Tuesday moved to set the record straight on the matter, as the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) pushed the police to answer whether or not a DNA has been taken from him.
A storm has erupted over the school and its principal after the sexual assault sparked nationwide protests, with AfriForum threatening to prosecute the police minister for misinformation.
Masemola said DNA samples have only been taken from people who were in close to or had interacted with the young girl on the days leading up to the assault.
Masemola, however, said the principal is not one of them, given that the school is spread over three campuses, and he was not at the junior school.
"He was never asked, but he phoned the investigating officer to ask whether you want anything to do with me."
Meanwhile, Mchunu said he has been incorrectly quoted as saying DNA had been taken from the school principal.
"It could be construed that I said so, but there’s no such from the statement itself."
Police said no DNA was found on the child nor her clothing on the day of her medical examination last October.
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