Police in Livingstone yesterday arrested and charged four Grade Twelve Hillcrest Technical Secondary School pupils for conduct likely to cause breach of peace.
Southern Province Commanding Officer, Lemmy Kajoba confirmed the arrest of the students to ZANIS in Livingstone today.
Mr. Kajoba said, after writing an examination yesterday, the pupils assembled and blocked Mushili Road using stones and logs, forcing motorists to turn back.
He said police were anticipating this behaviour and were on hand to monitor the situation at the school.
Mr. Kajoba narrated that police moved in to disperse the unruly students and unblocked the road. The students who scampered in all directions, later regrouped and blocked the road again, forcing police to arrest the four.
Three girls and a boy were arrested and charged for conduct likely to cause the breach of peace.
Mr. Kajoba said the three grade twelve pupils were later released yesterday after their parents paid an admission of guilt and today the three girls were expected to sit for their last examination paper.
The boy, who is not a grade twelve pupil, is said to have been in the fore-front inciting others to brew trouble. He is still in police custody.
Mr. Kajoba said the three girls’ parents were prominent people in Livingstone and that they expressed disappointment at their children’s behaviour.
Meanwhile, Mr. Kajoba has said the police service is devising measures to ensure that grade twelve school leavers conduct themselves in a responsible manner.
He said the police were monitoring activities not only at all schools but also in drinking places, to ensure that children under the age of 18 years do not indulge in beer drinking.
Mr. Kajoba said the police were alive to the fact that youths have a tendency of indulging in beer drinking during the festive season.
He said the police would work closely with the city council, to ensure that bars open and close at the stipulated times, with the exception of licensed night clubs in the city.
Mr. Kajoba said the police would be very strict during the festive season, which he described as the peak beer drinking time, leading to increased road traffic accidents and deaths.
He appealed to school leavers to conduct themselves in a responsible manner, for them not to risk possible arrests.
ZANIS