By Ntsebeng Motsoeli
MASERU — The mood at Molapo High School in Hlotse is calmer than you would expect.
Just a few days ago teachers learned with shock that some of the students claimed to be devil worshippers.
Principal Moses Phoole says two students, a boy and a girl, have already confessed to him that they were members a cult that worships the Devil.
This was after Phoole and his teachers heard rumours that some students were wearing tattoos that associated them with the worshipers of the Devil.
The rumours were propelled by an incident in Butha-Buthe where a boy, a student at the school, allegedly shot and killed his mother and seriously injured his father.
“He had told the police that he was a devil worshiper and was instructed by his ‘leaders’ to kill the person he loved most,” Phoole said.
“We heard for the first time that he had drawn tattoos all over his body. We also heard that he was carrying a gun to school,” he said.
Disturbed by the rumours, Phoole and his colleagues decided to inform the school committee and the Lesotho Evangelical Church (LEC) which owns the school.
“We also decided to have all students searched to find if any had the tattoos and if they associated with devil worshipping.”
He said at a prayer session an LEC priest and his consistory members asked if any of the students wanted help.
Phoole said he also invited them to come to his office and assured anyone who would come forward that their confession would remain confidential,” he said. The third option was that the students would have to come with their parents, a mother for a girl and a father for a boy.
The purpose was that they have their bodies checked for tattoos. He said last Friday during the search about eight students were found to have tattoos.
“Most of them said they had them for fun. But two students later went to one pastor teacher and confessed that they were devil worshipers. The teacher brought them to me.
“They had similar tattoos shaped like a cross. I was shocked by the details of their stories,” he said.
“The girl said she was lured into the worshiping of the Devil by the boy who killed his mother. They were narrating stories that sounded out of this world. The girl said she had dreams about the boy and they would perform satanic acts in the dreams,” he said.
“We do not have any tangible evidence about the practice but we have learned that the children need help.
“We have since invited the students who confessed to join prayer movements by students within the school.
“Our students have faith so strong we believe they will overcome the bad influence that is visiting our premises,” he said.
Phoole said more prayer sessions have been planned to cast away the evil spirits.
“We don’t want to lose focus on our main business.
“Our performance in the June tests was bad and we have to start working hard to improve. We cannot allow this to derail us or we will be entertaining the Devil.”
