Two suspects were arrested after Ladysmith detectives made a breakthrough into an arson investigation on Tuesday.
The incident took place during the early hours of Wednesday morning, October 19, when the office building and one of the classrooms at Nhlanganyelwa Combined School in the Hobsland area were set alight. Some items were also reported stolen.
Investigating officer Sergeant Phumulani Khumalo and colleagues Warrant Officer Mandla Zungu, Constable Sithabiso Madondo and Sthesihle Mabaso received information from the community which led them to interview three scholars from the school.
It was found that two boys (aged 17 and 22), not from the same school but from the St Chad’s area, had broken into the school and stolen the property they wanted, after which they set the building alight to cover their tracks.
They then fled the area with the stolen items.
The 22-year-old suspect appeared in the Ladysmith Magistrate’s Court on Thursday on charges of housebreaking and theft, as well as arson, while the 17-year-old suspect will be dealt with in terms of the Child Justice Act.
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