Lovemore Kadzura
Weekender Reporter
A FORM Four learner from a school in Makoni was left nursing serious dental injuries after allegedly being punched by a fellow learner during a violent schoolyard altercation, resulting in the loss of two teeth and damage to two others.
The incident recently spilled into Chief Makoni’s community court, where Aaron Chiganze, the injured learner’s father, hauled fellow parent, Robert Tangwena, before the traditional court seeking compensation for medical expenses and the cost of artificial teeth.
Chiganze initially demanded two beasts from Tangwena, and said dentists had advised that his son urgently needed dental treatment costing US$900.
“On July 16, my son was assaulted by Tangwena’s son while at school. During the attack, two of his teeth were knocked out.
“We later consulted a dentist on July 20, who discovered that two additional teeth had been loosened. He advised that the missing teeth be replaced as soon as possible to help stabilise the others,” said Chiganze.
He said medical assessments conducted at Rusape General Hospital indicated that artificial teeth and fitting procedures will cost about US$900.
“I asked Tangwena to contribute US$600 while I paid the remaining US$300. However, he said he will only have money in April 2027, and offered US$400 instead. My concern is that my son receives treatment on time and regains a normal life,” he told the court.
Chiganze said attempts to resolve the matter before Headman Rukweza failed after the parties could not reach an agreement.
Tangwena, however, argued that he had found a cheaper dental option in Rusape and questioned the necessity of the US$900 treatment.
“I contacted another dentist who quoted US$300 for the artificial teeth. I informed Chiganze, but he was not comfortable with that option,” he said.
Tangwena also claimed the fight broke out after Chiganze’s son allegedly grabbed his son’s private parts during a scuffle.
“School authorities called me and informed me about the incident. Since I was far away, the school used its own resources to transport the injured learner to hospital.
“The children were instructed to write reports explaining what happened. From those reports, it emerged that my son reacted after his manhood had been grabbed during the confrontation,” he said.
Tangwena said he had wanted to present the learners’ written statements as evidence, but was unable to do so after the school allegedly declined to release the reports.
The injured learner told the court that the attack stemmed from a disagreement after several learners laughed at jokes that were directed at Tangwena’s son.
“We were sitting together talking as boys. Some learners made jokes about him and we laughed. He warned us not to laugh. He then punched me in the mouth and my two teeth fell out,” he said.
After hearing both sides, Chief Makoni criticised the handling of the matter at lower traditional court level, saying Headman Rukweza should have made a ruling instead of directing the parents to negotiate endlessly.
The chief said the ongoing dispute between the two families is only prolonging the child’s suffering.
He ordered both parents to share responsibility for the treatment costs and contribute equally towards the dental expenses.
Chief Makoni ruled that Chiganze and Tangwena should each pay US$150 towards the learner’s treatment, stressing that the child’s welfare should take precedence over parental disagreements.
