Police identify children involved in social media assault video, confirm attempt for popularity

Police have positively identified the children seen in a video circulating on social media showing a group of youths allegedly role playing and assaulting a young boy in the bushes, tying him up and then burying him and have established that it was an attempt to gain social media popularity.

Assistant Commissioner of Police – Crime Mesake Waqa says cyber-crime officers were able to trace the origins of the video, with subsequent information revealing it was recorded in Nabouwalu.

ACP Waqa says a team were in Nabouwalu and were able to locate the children, where they were brought in with their parents.

He says the child who was seen being buried, is safe and well.

ACP Waqa says it has been confirmed that the children were trying to gain social media popularity by copying a popular social media personality.

He is pleading with parents to know what their children are accessing online and to limit screen time.

He adds the day that the alleged video was captured, the children were supposed to be at a church camp, and the situation could have taken a tragic turn, reiterating the importance of teaching children that actions have consequences.