Learners allegedly grow dagga plant at PK de Villiers hostel

KEETMANSHOOP, 03 JUL  – Hostel learners at PK de Villiers Secondary School in Keetmanshoop are suspected to have planted and kept a cannabis plant inside the hostel premises.
Matti Gabriel, the superintendent at the school hostel confirmed to Nampa on Monday that members of the Namibian Police removed the suspected dagga plant last week.
“The police came on Thursday and removed the plant that was planted in a plant pot and put in one of the open rooms in the boys’ hostel block,” he said.
Gabriel said he came to know of the little tree when one of the learners sent by the owners to water it for them, told him what the boys had planted.
“They sent a leaner to water the plant and that one learner told me and now they are threatening to beat the one who spoke to me.”
Gabriel further expressed frustration over learners allegedly smoking cannabis in the hostel, especially during night time when the lights are turned off.
He said the group consists of around eight learners from Grade 11 and 12.
“Sometimes you do not see them smoke, but you can smell the dagga and their behaviour is very strange and the way they treat others is very bad,” explained Gabriel.
He said the learners are supposed to be concentrating on studying as some of them are in their final year and need to pass to continue with their studies, “but they are the ones disrupting the study sessions”.
The hostel supervisor also said the same learners were suspended some months ago and after parents were involved, all parties thought things could change for the better.
Namibian Police //Kharas Regional Crime Investigations Coordinator, Deputy Commissioner Chrispin Mubebo confirmed to this news agency on Monday that police removed the plant from the hostel.
He added however, that police are still investigating what type of tree it is as there are disputes among themselves as to whether or not the tree is indeed one of the illicit variety.
“We cannot say what type of tree it is right now, but laboratory tests will be done to determine that, though it might take long as it will be done in Windhoek,” Mubebo said.
Approached about the matter, Director of Education in the //Kharas Region, /Awebahe //Hoeseb said he was not aware of the situation.

NAMPA