Schoolgirls raped in WHP

National, Normal
Source:

By YVONNE HAIP

A GRADE 10 student at Kitip Lutheran Secondary in Western Highlands was allegedly gang-raped by locals last week.
According to one of the teachers, two female students strolled out the school gate to chat with some friends after the agriculture examination.
The teacher claimed that a group of men, believed to be locals and armed with bush knives, threatened the boys and chased after the two girls.
One of the girls escaped while the other was caught and sexually assaulted throughout the night.
She was released the next morning to a church elder.
The teacher said the girls did not report the matter immediately to school authorities but kept quiet until security guards heard of the incident from the church elder.
The student who escaped her captors, later recounted the story to her teachers.
The girls went for a medical check at the nearby Kotna health centre and were later allowed to sit for their final English examination last Friday.
The incident came days after school principal, Robert Kaua, warned Grade 10 and 12 students to take extra precaution during the examination week.
Kaua expressed anger over the “animalistic acts of the village youths” and urged the Weli and Tepoka leaders to hand those involved to the police.
Some of the Weli and Tepoka leaders that were approached said they were not aware of the incident but would investigate. 
They also condemned the attack and said locals should not be doing such acts on students but look after them and the school properties.
Provincial police commander Supt Kaiglo Ambane said formal complaints by school authorities had not yet been lodged with the police.
However, he said another rape was reported at Togoba Secondary School where a Grade 12 student was allegedly sexually assaulted by a fellow student.
He said the suspect was known to police and would soon be apprehended.
Attempts to get comments from the education division were unsuccessful.