A TEACHER at Suiderlig High School at Keetmanshoop no longer faces charges of abduction, an immoral act and breaking bail conditions.
Valery Bock was charged with abducting a 15-year-old Grade 9 girl, and having inappropriate sexual contact with her.
It is alleged that Bok often took the girl to her house without the consent of the girl’s parents, and lured her by offering her and other schoolgirls food, clothes, cellphones and shoes to engage in inappropriate sexual acts with her.
Following her arrest on the abduction and immoral act charges in mid-June 2018, Bock was released on N$4 000 bail.
However, she allegedly breached her bail conditions during April last year when the police found the girl at her home after her parents had reported her as missing.
The teacher might have the abduction and immoral act charges dropped against her, and her bail cancellation hearing suspended, but she is not off the hook just yet.
Documents seen by The Namibian show that the Keetmanshoop Magistrate’s Court had ordered that she be indicted on amended charges of subjecting the child to social cultural or religious practices detrimental to their well-being and supplying any drink or alcohol to a person under the age of 18 years or on an alternative charge of allowing, inducing or encouraging children to drink any liquor.
Deputy prosecutor Anita Meyer, in a letter dated 27 January, wrote to the court’s control prosecutor Lewis Chigunwe further requesting the court to reinstate Bock’s bail as well as its conditions.
The Namibian understands that Bock continues to teach despite a guilty verdict after a disciplinary hearing against her over charges of inappropriate sexual behaviour with the girl.
Meanwhile, sources close to the girl said she has dropped out of school.
Education executive director Sanet Steenkamp, towards the end of last year, acknowledged that her office, after having scrutinised the teacher’s disciplinary hearing outcomes, had forwarded the matter to the Public Service Commission (PSC).
“Due disciplinary processes must be followed, and only after that can the law be applied without any discrimination,” she had stressed then.
Steenkamp’s comments came after she was approached by on a statement by the victim’s parents that they had enlisted the services of a private lawyer to exert pressure on the education authorities to implement the disciplinary hearing’s recommendation that Bock be fired.
Bock could not be reached for comment yesterday as her cellphone went to voice mail.
luqman@namibian.com.na
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