A FAMILY distraught beyond words, a girl’s reputation in tatters and the possibility of legal action.
This was just some of the fallout yesterday from pornographic video clips a 12th grader in Windhoek filmed on his cellphone of his 17-year-old ex-girlfriend, which ended up being widely distributed in Namibia. Chief Inspector Barry De Klerk of the Namibian Police’s Drug Law Enforcement Unit said yesterday that a 17-year-old girl’s appearance in what could be considered pornography might cause legal problems for the boy.Police spokesperson Warrant Officer James Matengu also said yesterday that while the decision to press charges lay with the girl’s family, they did have grounds on which to do so.”There are a host of cases that one may consider.These photographs (sic) sometimes portray you in a different and negative light.So defamation of character, crimen injuria, these are all cases that could be investigated,” he said.Meanwhile, the girl and her family are said to be traumatised by the events of the past week, a relative told The Namibian.They have apparently remained closeted in their home since news of the explicit cellphone clips first made headlines.The incident, which was first reported in the Government daily, New Era, has had much of the nation agog.There is also concern in many quarters that most of the focus has fallen on the school girl, and too little on her former boyfriend (18), who filmed the clips and is being blamed for it being distributed far and wide.The ex-boyfriend is now denying that he is responsible for the clips ending up in the public domain, while his father has expressed empathy for the girl’s family.”I feel very bad for her mother.She did a very courageous thing by taking her child out of school.My concern is also for the victim (the girl).Her reputation is really suffering because of this,” said the boy’s father, who says he only heard about his son’s involvement with the girl last week.The boy, speaking to The Namibian yesterday, claimed that he had left his cellphone to charge in a school office, when another boy allegedly went through his phone and allegedly sent the clips to his own phone.”I’ve seen in the papers that apparently I’m the one who distributed it.I didn’t, but I know who did.This was something we did between us and that was supposed to remain like that,” the 18-year-old said.ALL HELL BREAKS LOOSE The two were thrust into the limelight last week after one of the clips in question came to the attention of Dawid Bezuidenhoudt Secondary School principal Dennis Fredericks.The clip was being widely distributed around the school when a grade 12 pupil alerted his class teacher about it.The girl in the video clips would have started school at Dawid Bezuidenhoudt this year, after moving there from a private school in the city, the Combretum Education Trust School.Following the furore sparked by the circulating clips, however, her family last week withdrew her from the school.According to Sue Brown, Director of the Combretum Education Trust School, the boy who filmed the clips has been suspended pending an investigation into how the explicit clips were distributed.”It’s not really a school issue,” Brown said yesterday, but added that it was being investigated whether the explicit clips were spread deliberately or through carelessness.The filming of the clips apparently happened during the summer holidays, Brown said, and because both the boy and girl are above the legal age of consent (16) their behaviour was, strictly speaking, legal.”Apparently they had a fight at one point, as she had wanted the clip destroyed and he hadn’t done it,” Brown said, adding that it was a known fact that the two were involved in a long-term relationship last year.SCHOOL DILEMMA Following the discovery of the clips, both Dawid Bezuidenhoudt and the Combretum Education Trust School have used the example to educate students about technology and morality.But while pupils debate this dilemma, Brown says her school’s management is faced with one of their own.”Now we’re faced with a question of why punish her and not him,” she said.While the school is contemplating whether or not to expel the boy, Brown says another option would be to allow the girl entry once more.It appears, however, that the girl is en route to South Africa, where she is to live with her father.Chief Inspector Barry De Klerk of the Namibian Police’s Drug Law Enforcement Unit said yesterday that a 17-year-old girl’s appearance in what could be considered pornography might cause legal problems for the boy. Police spokesperson Warrant Officer James Matengu also said yesterday that while the decision to press charges lay with the girl’s family, they did have grounds on which to do so.”There are a host of cases that one may consider.These photographs (sic) sometimes portray you in a different and negative light.So defamation of character, crimen injuria, these are all cases that could be investigated,” he said.Meanwhile, the girl and her family are said to be traumatised by the events of the past week, a relative told The Namibian.They have apparently remained closeted in their home since news of the explicit cellphone clips first made headlines.The incident, which was first reported in the Government daily, New Era, has had much of the nation agog.There is also concern in many quarters that most of the focus has fallen on the school girl, and too little on her former boyfriend (18), who filmed the clips and is being blamed for it being distributed far and wide. The ex-boyfriend is now denying that he is responsible for the clips ending up in the public domain, while his father has expressed empathy for the girl’s family.”I feel very bad for her mother.She did a very courageous thing by taking her child out of school.My concern is also for the victim (the girl).Her reputation is really suffering because of this,” said the boy’s father, who says he only heard about his son’s involvement with the girl last week.The boy, speaking to The Namibian yesterday, claimed that he had left his cellphone to charge in a school office, when another boy allegedly went through his phone and allegedly sent the clips to his own phone. “I’ve seen in the papers that apparently I’m the one who distributed it.I didn’t, but I know who did.This was something we did between us and that was supposed to remain like that,” the 18-year-old said. ALL HELL BREAKS LOOSE The two were thrust into the limelight last week after one of the clips in question came to the attention of Dawid Bezuidenhoudt Secondary School principal Dennis Fredericks.The clip was being widely distributed around the school when a grade 12 pupil alerted his class teacher about it.The girl in the video clips would have started school at Dawid Bezuidenhoudt this year, after moving there from a private school in the city, the Combretum Education Trust School.Following the furore sparked by the circulating clips, however, her family last week withdrew her from the school.According to Sue Brown, Director of the Combretum Education Trust School, the boy who filmed the clips has been suspended pending an investigation into how the explicit clips were distributed.”It’s not really a school issue,” Brown said yesterday, but added that it was being investigated whether the explicit clips were spread deliberately or through carelessness.The filming of the clips apparently happened during the summer holidays, Brown said, and because both the boy and girl are above the legal age of consent (16) their behaviour was, strictly speaking, legal.”Apparently they had a fight at one point, as she had wanted the clip destroyed and he hadn’t done it,” Brown said, adding that it was a known fact that the two were involved in a long-term relationship last year.SCHOOL DILEMMA Following the discovery of the clips, both Dawid Bezuidenhoudt and the Combretum Education Trust School have used the example to educate students about technology and morality.But while pupils debate this dilemma, Brown says her school’s management is faced with one of their own.”Now we’re faced with a question of why punish her and
not him,” she said.While the school is contemplating whether or not to expel the boy, Brown says another option would be to allow the girl entry once more.It appears, however, that the girl is en route to South Africa, where she is to live with her father.
