The 13 year old student who was reportedly caught in possession of an illegal gun at the Papine High School in St. Andrew on Thursday, was remanded when he appeared before the Gun Court on Friday.
His attorney, Peter Champaignie, told RJR News he will be applying for bail on November 6, when the teenager is scheduled to return to court.
The Court was told that the boy’s mother was taken into custody and is facing charges under the Child Care and Protection Act.Champaignie told the judge that in light of her arrest, he would need time to find new living arrangements for the teenager, before applying for bail.
The teenager, who is said to be the son of a convicted gang leader, was charged with illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition.
It’s reported that a police team went the boy’s school shortly after eight o’clock and during a search of his knapsack a Ruger 9 millimetre pistol along with a magazine containing twelve rounds were allegedly found.
Meanwhile, Education Minister Ronald Thwaites is commending the administration of Papine High School ifor finding the gun using the metal detector provided by the Ministry.
A statement on Friday afternoon, said the presence of a metallic object in the student’s school bag was detected by security personnel at the school while conducting routine security checks.
The police were summoned and upon investigation they identified the gun and ammunition.
Thwaites noted that this incident, along with the recent find of ammunition on a school boy at Brimmervale High in St Mary, underscores the importance of school administrators utilising the metal detectors.
At the start of the new school year the Ministry of Education distributed more than 130 metal detectors to high schools.
The Ministry’s Safety and Security Unit also distributed revised policy guidelines and several safety and security manuals to schools.
