Limkokwing closes indefinitely

GOTHATAONE MOENG
Staff Writer | Wednesday May 29, 2013 00:00

 

Limkokwing spokesperson, Mercy Thebe said in a press statement yesterday that the university has suspended all student activity until further notice.  She said the decision was taken to ensure public safety and prevention of damage to university facilities and equipment.The unrest by students late last week led to the arrest of suspended Student Representative Council (SRC) president Poloko Pitwane and 12 others on Friday.  The 13 were arraigned before Gaborone magistrate Priscilla Ditlhong on Monday morning.

Pitwane is charged with criminal trespassing.  He is alleged to have contravened Section 305 (1) of the Penal Code by unlawfully entering the LUCT campus under suspension and without authority from the university management.  He is alleged to have done so with intent to commit an offence and annoy the university management by addressing the student community.

The 12 other students are charged with rioting.  They are alleged to have contravened Section 74(3) as read with Section 76 of the Penal Code by unlawfully assembling at LUCT campus and throwing stones at the police who came to disperse them.  They are also accused of breaking some windows of the university's buildings and thereby causing a breach of the peace. Friday Leburu represents the students, while Mose Tshezi appeared for the state.All 13 students were released on bail, with the case scheduled to start on June 28th, 2013.

The arrest of the students follows months of wrangling between the university management, the Department of Tertiary Education Financing (DTEF) and students over book allowances and the bookstore.  The students allege that the campus bookstore does not have the required text and materials they need.  The students signed a 2011 agreement with DTEF and management to have 50 percent of their book allowances credited to their accounts and the other 50 percent to the bookstore.  But now the students demand that they should be given the entire sum to buy books elsewher.  Pitwane was suspended after riots early this year.

In the press release, the university accuses him of 'manipulating, misinforming, misleading and tarnishing the name of the institution'.'The leadership qualities that the suspended SRC president continues to display are of great concern to the university management as they pose a serious threat to public safety,' the statement says.Meanwhile, at a press conference held at the University of Botswana (UB) SRC office on Monday afternoon, Pitwane swore that he would continue fighting for students to be given their book allowances. He reiterated that he stands against the monopoly of one bookstore in the supply of books and materials to tertiary education institutions in the country.

The founder of the university, Professor Emeritus Tan Sri Dato Sri' Paduka Dr. Limkokwing was scheduled to address the students last Thursday, but due to the unrest, the meeting was cancelled, Thebe told Mmegi.The university has said that there is very little student activity on campus as the last examinations were held on Friday when the semester ended.