adminTeachers at the school reportedly told children during assembly, that they should not speak to the man.
Residents who said they suspected the man wanted to sexually abuse the girls, yesterday identified him as Mr Lovemore Muchayiri.
They said he usually brags saying: “I do not sleep with old women, I sleep with schoolchildren.”
A number of the residents said he should be removed from the suburb because he had become a menace to children.
Mr Muchayiri sells airtime recharge cards.
At least three children from the school are reportedly being stalked by him.
Chronicle caught up with the parents of two of the girls yesterday.
One of the girls is in Grade Six and the other is in Grade Seven.
Mr Muchayiri allegedly started stalking the two last year and their parents alleged the police had not been helpful.
“I started hearing stories that my daughter was being given money and free airtime by Mr Muchayiri last year. Other children told me that he would meet her at the school gate and slowly drive alongside her as she went home. They said he often asked her to get into his car, promising nothing would happen to her,” said the mother of the Grade Seven pupil.
She said her daughter told her Mr Muchayiri had authorised an old woman who was a vendor at the school gate to give her whatever she wanted and he would pay.
“I was devastated. When I approached him, he said we were related and besides, my daughter was not the only one he did favours for,” said the mother, almost crying.
She said she reported the matter at Donnington Police Station and Mr Muchayiri got away with a warning.
“However, he did not stop. One night, the old woman phoned, when I had my daughter’s cellphone. She thought she was talking to my daughter. When I asked her why she was calling at night, she asked why I was surprised as she always called at night and went on to say Muchayiri was looking for my daughter,” said the mother.
She said she felt her world collapsing.
“I confronted him again. People in the suburb said he was sleeping with my daughter and I took her for an HIV and virginity test. Luckily, she was unmolested,” said the woman.
The parent said she was very angry, but there seemed to be no solution to her problem.
“I have so much anger because he has not stopped. My daughter tells me that her friends laugh at her and say she is an old man’s girlfriend,” she said.
Relatives of the Grade Six pupil said Mr Muchayiri used to give her up to $50 and always begged her to be his “friend”.
“What kind of a friendship can a 12-year-old have with such an old man? This is sick.
The matter was brought to our attention by teachers at the school. The child told us that whenever we sent her to buy airtime, Muchayiri would give it to her for free,” said the relative.
The relative refused to give further details, saying the girl’s father was in a better position to comment.
Her father said his daughter came to his workplace in tears two weeks ago and said her friends were saying she was sleeping with an old man.
“She said last year, an old woman who is a vendor at the school gate, told her that she could take anything she wanted because someone had already paid. She said the woman persuaded her to take some fruits and the following day, Muchayiri appeared and asked her if she had got his gift,” said the father.
He said the man had been stalking her ever since.
“I made a report at Donnington Police Station and took her to hospital where she was found to be still a virgin. The case will be heard in court soon,” he said.
Residents alleged that Mr Muchayiri was having an affair with a third pupil from Greenfield Primary School and he was going out with another Form Two pupil from Founders High School.
Contacted for comment, Mr Muchayiri denied the allegations.
“The only person I know is the Grade Seven pupil. I have never talked to her but I remember that she asked for one rand from me in 2010. That is when the stories started circulating. I have never touched anyone’s child, I am happily married and have children of my own,” said Mr Muchayiri.
He denied ever bragging about sleeping with children.
Online Reporter