THE Khorixas police are keeping a close eye on school hostels at Khorixas after a group of men jumped into the girls' hostel last week and allegedly molested a number of girls.

On Friday around 03h00, female students at the Welwitschia Junior Secondary School were awakened by three men who jumped into the hostel and started switching on the lights in various rooms and moved around before leaving the block.

As a result, a number of girls have deserted their rooms and are refusing to return. According to a member of the Learners Representative Council of the Welwitschia Junior Secondary School, the intruders were accompanied by a woman.

On Saturday night another group of people were spotted trying to jump into the girls' hostel, but they fled when the police arrived.

Hostel supervisor Zelda Wasserfall thanked the police for patrolling the hostel area. "We are not worried too much, as the police are assisting us," Wasserfall told The Namibian.

The Welwitschia hostel management has now started locking in the students after dinner, and the evening study session in the dining hall has been cancelled due to the fear that students might be raped while walking back to the hostel.

At the Eddie Bowe Primary School hostel, also at Khorixas, the group of men allegedly molested some girls last week.

The same group is suspected to have entered the girls' hostel at Cornelius Goreseb High School, where an attempt was made to undress a sleeping girl.

Khorixas police chief Hiskia Nuuyoma warned the intruders to stop, pointing out that it is a crime to fondle underage girls.

He said the damaged fences around these hostels allowed the men to gain entry to the school grounds.