Terrence Mawawa, Gutu | A grade four pupil here was given a bottle of toxic herbs to mix with food after telling her mother her friends were consuming her edibles during lunch time.

According to ZRP cops at Chingai Police Base, staff members at Mutombwa Primary School reported the matter last week.

The police said the girl’s friends confronted her after noticing the strange bottle she was hiding in her satchel.

“The girl initially said the bottle she was hiding contained some water guard. A report was made to the class teacher who then informed the school head. Upon realising that the bottle had been discovered, the girl ran to the toilet and emptied the contents,” police in Gutu said.

When the girl’s parents were called to the school they denied knowledge of the bottle.

In a statement recorded by the school head, the girl said: “I was given the bottle by my mother on Wednesday morning. She asked me to administer the content on the food and give it to my friends. I had told her some pupils were asking me to share my food with them,” read part of the statement.

A teacher at the school said the bottle was retrieved from the toilet but its contents could not be identified.

Education officials in Gutu town said they were yet to receive the report.