Cellphone under teen’s pillow leads to teacher’s arrest for sexual grooming

SOUTH AFRICA – A 30-year-old teacher is behind bars for allegedly having an inappropriate relationship with a 14-year-old pupil.

The teacher has been charged with child sexual grooming and supplying, exposing and displaying pornography to a child, said Brig Leonard Hlathi.

“Reports indicate that the mother of the girl was at home on November 5 when she entered her daughter’s bedroom. She noticed a cellphone that she did not recognise under a pillow,” said Hlathi.

“The child was confronted about the person who bought her the cellphone. The daughter eventually admitted that the man, who is believed to be a teacher at the girl’s  school, bought it for her,” he added.

The mother went through the phone and discovered pornographic pictures that had been exchanged between the teacher and the pupil. She immediately contacted the police,” Hlathi said.

The teacher has since appeared in the Kabokweni magistrate’s court where the matter was postponed to Friday for a formal bail application.

“Police are busy with investigations and the possibilities of adding more charges are high,” Hlathi said.