Wenslus Murape
THE ex-cop, whose video battering his 10-year-old son with bricks and a wire went viral on social media leading to his arrest, is getting what he deserves.
On Wednesday, he was remanded in custody after he pleaded guilty to the ill-treatment of his son. Knowell Muzenda, 39, appeared before Harare magistrate, Ayanda Dhlamini, who remanded him in custody to yesterday for sentencing. The court heard that on October 6, in Eastview, Muzenda sent his son to buy spaghetti at a nearby tuckshop.
However, the boy returned later than expected.
This angered Muzenda who then assaulted him with a black rubber rope, a wire, and bricks.
It was quite a vicious assault and the poor boy sustained a swollen left cheek, bruises on the back, a swollen right leg and pain all over his body.
This brutal attack was captured on video and Muzenda appeared as if he was not concerned that someone was filming his savage attack on his son.
Watching that video, again and again, one is left wondering if, indeed, the boy is Muzenda’s son.
There was no compassion whatsoever from the raging father who appeared intent on inflicting the maximum possible damage on this poor boy. The boy’s pleas for forgiveness fell on deaf ears as his father, who appeared to have been in infected by some kind of demon, continued to savagely attack him.
The footage from the video, which was recorded by members of the public, helped the police to track down Muzenda and arrest him, which led to his appearance in court this week.
National police spokesperson, Commissioner Paul Nyathi, thanked the public for using social media positively as their actions led to Muzenda’s arrest.
We have already seen the Department of Child Social Services taking some action and taking the victim to a safer place in the wake of the incident.
The Department of Child Social Services also offered to take Muzenda’s other three children to a safer place. We are happy that the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare quickly intervened.
The Ministry also revealed that upon removal, the child was assisted to access a compressive package of survivor-centred therapeutic services to ensure restoration of his physical, psychological and social functioning.
This is the system fighting back to protect the interests of a child from being abused by a rogue father.
The justice system has also been at work to remind Muzenda that he does not have the right to butcher his son and there are limits to how he, or anyone else, can discipline their children.
When such disciplinary acts turn into vicious attacks like what we saw in that video as Muzenda attacked his son, then authorities will always intervene and ensure that the law takes its course.
This should be a reminder to other parents out there who feel that they can viciously attack their children for one reason or another.
The fact that they are parents will not make them immune to prosecution because they will be violating the rights of another human being.
Online Reporter