Investigating officer's absence delays bail application for alleged sex pest teacher

A Durban teacher - accused of sending nude images and sexually suggestive messages to a 14-year-old pupil - will have to spend two more days behind bars until his formal bid for bail.

The 33-year-old teacher’s application for bail in the Durban Magistrate’s Court was postponed by magistrate Bonny Ngcobo after the officer investigating the matter did not present himself in court with the docket.

The courtroom was packed with family and friends of the teacher‚ who was arrested two weeks ago after the father of the teenage girl became suspicious of him and allegedly discovered explicit pictures as well as texts on her phone.

• Prayer vigil for teacher arrested for sexting pupilSupporters of a Durban teacher‚ accused of sending nude images and sexually suggestive messages to a 14-year-old pupil‚ held a prayer ahead of his formal bail application on Monday. 

The high school arts teacher reportedly told the girl he was going to wait for her to turn 18 before he married her.

The suspended educator is facing criminal charges relating to sexual grooming of a minor and child pornography.

Ahead of his brief appearance‚ the teacher’s supporters gathered outside Court 8 where they prayed for him.

• Dad unknowingly impregnated daughter, who worries how to tell their son his grandfather is his fatherA retired Mpumalanga teacher who unknowingly impregnated his 16-year-old biological daughter four years ago has apologised for taking advantage of a girl he only regarded as a pupil at his school. 

KZN education department spokesman Kwazi Mthethwa said: “We will let the law take its course. However we are firm on these issues. We want to get rid of all these cases of sexual misconduct in our system.”

Commenting on the delay in the bail application‚ Mthethwa said the department did not want to “interfere with internal court processes”.

“The matter has been handed to the courts. There is another parent who approached me now. They want to give me a verbal report‚ I have requested that they submit a written report and we will take it further‚” said Mthethwa.

• Sex pest teachers bribing pupils with cash and promises of marriage to cover up their crimesSex pest teachers are bribing pupils with cash and promises of marriage in exchange for their help in covering up the crime by refusing to testify against them at disciplinary hearings. 

The father of the girl said that she was not doing well.

“We had to remove her from the school. She is attending another school.”

- TMG Digital/TimesLIVE