adminA STINKING sex scandal involving pupils has rocked the Roman Catholic-run St Patrick’s Mission in Nyanyadzi under Chimanimani District and has since sucked in a priest at the school, who is accused of dating a Form Three pupil.
Police investigations into allegations against priest-in-charge Fr Arnold Muriro are now underway after the school authorities were forced to report the matter to the law enforcement agents.
Deputy Manicaland police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Luxson Chananda confirmed that investigations were underway.
“The school authorities made a report at Nyanyadzi Police Station and we understand that investigations are underway.
“We regrettably cannot divulge more information for fear of jeopardising investigations,” said Asst Insp Chananda.
The sexual shenanigans at the once revered mission school came to light after a vice head-boy was allegedly caught pants down with a Form Five female student.
The two, who were allegedly caught having quality time in the comfort of the school cook’s residence were then hauled before a school disciplinary committee, which resolved to demote the vice head-boy.
Proceedings in the vice head-boys’ hearing and subsequent penalty then blew the cover on yet another alleged sexual affair between the school’s priest-in-charge, Fr Muriro, and a Form Three pupil (name withheld).
Fellow pupils blew the whistle as they started writing anonymous letters to school authorities as well as the involved Form Three pupil’s parents in Marondera.
When The Weekender visited the school on Monday, the issue was a public secret, especially within the vicinities of the Catholic-run institution, while the Form Three pupil was said to have been taken away by her parents.
Deputy head Ms Rosemary Shoko, who was in charge in the absence of headmaster Mr Chari, confirmed that the school was seized with a sensitive disciplinary case, but could not shed more light.
“It is unfortunate that the headmaster is not here. He is the one with all the relevant documents and the one who could tell you how it all happened.
“It is a case that is still being investigated and a hearing was done last Friday during which the parent of the pupil also attended, but like I said, the headmaster is the right person you can talk to,” she said.
When approached for his side of the story at his offices in the school premises, a jittery Fr Muriro declined to discuss the issue before walking away, leaving The Weekender crew in his office.
“I do not have anything to say to you at all. This is not even a police case since it is the headmaster who only reported it to the police, but we have not heard anything from police.
“I am not under any investigations. You can talk to my superiors in Mutare. Fr John Asomuga will be the right person for you to talk to,” said Fr Muriro before he walked out of his office, leaving the reporter and the photographer in his office.
Apparently, Fr Muriro had slipped out of his office and delegated a fellow clergyman to entertain the news crew as he invited the police to arrest the journalists.
Police at Nyanyadzi swiftly reacted by sending officers, who escorted the journalists to Nyanyadzi Police Station, a distance of about four kilometres.
At the police station, an irate officer-in-charge, who identified himself as Inspector Mbuwa, blamed The Weekender for attempting to get an interview with the priest, arguing that it would mess up their investigations.
Insp Mbuwa confirmed that a report was indeed made by the headmaster and that the Form Three pupil was on record having said she was in love with the priest.
During the 20-minute-long interrogation when the journalists were at Nyanyadzi Police Station, Insp Mbuwa revealed that the girl was also on record alleging that she had sexual intercourse with the priest in Marondera.
“Why are you harassing people that have not been summoned by the police at all?
“In fact, I talked to the provincial police spokesperson before you came here and told him that there is really no reason you should come here at this stage.
“We are waiting for the girl who has since been taken to Marondera by her parents.
“There is no way we can proceed with only a report made by the headmaster without getting information from the concerned girl.
“There is a process to be followed and that is what we are waiting for. The girl has to go for tests and that has not been done so far.
“The story is still sketchy and there is a possibility that the priest might not be guilty. The account from the young girl, as we gathered, is not consistent.
“We hear that the priest only said I like you and nothing else. We also hear that after the priest said I like you, she went on to spread word that she is in love with the priest.
“She is also understood to have told her friends that they had a sexual intercourse in Marondera. So, you see, it’s still sketchy and we need to get to the bottom of it first and then give you details. If what the girl is saying that they had sexual intercourse in Marondera is true, then we would have to refer the case to Marondera as the place of occurrence,” said Insp Mbuwa before releasing the journalists.
Efforts to get comment from Fr Asomuga were fruitless at the time of going to press as he was said to be out of office.
Online Reporter