‘Drunkenness’ lands teacher in soup

 

Tendai Gukutikwa
Weekender Reporter

A DISPUTE over school fees has seen two teachers from Nerwande Primary School in Makoni embroiled in a legal battle.

The conflict emerged when one of the teachers, Grace Chiparange allegedly sent the other teacher, Shepherd Chikosho’s child home for failing to pay fees on time.

However, Chiraparange insists that she was not responsible for sending children home over unpaid fees.

She claimed that the aggrieved Chikosho felt that this was unfair and discriminatory and decided to pour verbal diarrhoea on her, thereby tarnishing her image. She said she also lost the respects of the learners’ parents.

She claimed that she was labelled a witch during a sports event where their school was hosting two other schools.

The matter later spilled to Chief Makoni’s community court.

When they appeared before the community court recently, Chiparange was demanding compensation of one beast or US$200 that Chikosho had previously been ordered to pay her by a lower court.

She said while Chikosho had admitted insulting Chiparange when they appeared before Headman Masvora’s community court earlier, he was ordered to have paid the beast or US$200 by September, but failed to do so.

“I was the acting deputy head at Nerwande Primary School on that particular day. We had a sports day which involved two other schools and ours.

“When the sports organiser announced that they had finished preparing food, they called me. I told them to call all teachers to convene for lunch and Chikosho was one of them.

“However, when he came and was handed a plate full of food, he threw the food away. He pointed at me and shouted that I was a witch, saying, ‘Iwewe muroyi idya chikafu ichi, urikuda kundiuraya (You witch, eat the food, you want to kill me)’. At first I kept quiet thinking that he was joking. He kept on shouting and accusing me of witchcraft. I asked if he was talking to me and he confirmed,” she said.

Chiparange said she asked Chikosho what she had done to warrant the insults, he insisted that she wanted to kill him and later eat his corpse.

“He later said I was the one who had sent his child home for not paying school fees. I was not the one responsible for barring learners with school fees arrears from attending lessons.

“I told him this, but he insisted that I was the one behind everything. We had to be restrained by other teachers and we were taken to the headmaster’s officer. The headmaster asked him to ask for my forgiveness, but he refused,” said Chiparange.

She said she was left with no option, but to take up the matter with Headman Masvosva’s community court where Chikosho was fined a beast.

“He was supposed to have paid up by September, but he is still to pay up to now,” said the woman.
Chikosho acknowledged his transgression, and asked for forgiveness.

He blamed his action on alcohol.

“I was drunk when this happened. I felt ashamed when my wife told me what had happened when I sobered up. When I was ordered by the headmaster to ask for Chiparange’s forgiveness, I did so, but she refused to accept my apology, insisting that she wanted to fix me. After that, her husband threatened to ruthlessly deal with me,” he said.

Chief Makoni ordered Chikosho to pay the US$200 to Chiparange as well as pay her US$95 as costs for the lawsuit.

“You will also pay two goats to this court as fine.

“You should have just respected Headman Masvosva’s judgement, and paid on the stipulated dates. You should also desist from being arrogant and being disrespectful towards your colleagues,” said Chief Makoni.

Chikosho was ordered to have paid up his dues by March 2024.