Former hostel superintendent on trial on molestation charges

A FORMER school hostel superintendent, Jacobus Bloom (46), yesterday went on trial in the Keetmanshoop Regional Court on seven charges of rape.

Bloom was arrested in 2003, on the basis of allegations by a number of schoolboys who claimed they had been sexually molested while boarding at the Roman Catholic school hostel at Aroab in the Karas Region. Aroab is located 170 kilometres southwest of Keetmanshoop.Bloom pleaded not guilty to all the charges.One of the boys, who is now 18 years old, yesterday testified before Regional Court Magistrate Clement Daniels that Bloom had molested him on several occasions in his office and a bathroom.These incidents happened early in the morning before school, and in the evenings, the boy told the court.The boy was 15 years old at the time of the alleged molestation.He told the court that Bloom had threatened him not to tell anyone about the sexual molestation.The other boys are expected to testify during the course of this week.Bloom is represented by Gerrit Van Der Heever of Lentin and Botma Legal Practitioners.Aroab is located 170 kilometres southwest of Keetmanshoop.Bloom pleaded not guilty to all the charges.One of the boys, who is now 18 years old, yesterday testified before Regional Court Magistrate Clement Daniels that Bloom had molested him on several occasions in his office and a bathroom.These incidents happened early in the morning before school, and in the evenings, the boy told the court.The boy was 15 years old at the time of the alleged molestation.He told the court that Bloom had threatened him not to tell anyone about the sexual molestation.The other boys are expected to testify during the course of this week.Bloom is represented by Gerrit Van Der Heever of Lentin and Botma Legal Practitioners.