Two students sentenced

Tendai Rupapa Senior Court Reporter
Two students were today ordered to perform 245 hours of community service after they were convicted of taking turns to assault a colleague while their peers took videos of the incident.

The case, whose video was shown at the Harare Magistrates’ Court and has gone viral on social media platforms, also highlighted cases of bullying and assault affecting private colleges across the country.

The two were accused of insulting them and uploading photos on the social network while in a drunken state.

They also took school bag and threw the contents on the ground prompting to lose $1 270 cash during the scuffle which was meant for her brother’s school trip to South Africa.

Magistrate Ms Blessing Murwisi convicted them after a fully contested trial.

She sentenced them to 14 months in prison before setting aside seven months for five years on condition the pair does not commit a similar offence within that period.

The remaining seven months were set aside on condition the duo performs 245 hours of community service with them working at Mabelreign clinic and Mabelreign dog section during weekends starting this Saturday.

In passing sentence Magistrate Ms Murwisi castigated the behavior of the pair adding that bullying in schools could lead to fatalities.

“Even though the court noted that the two are youthful first offenders and should be kept out of prison, what they did is uncalled for and they deserve to be punished therefore a deterrent sentence should be passed.

“If they were not youthful offenders, the court was going to pass a different sentence because bullying in schools could lead to loss of lives,” she said.

In defence the two argued that Makora was the one who provoked them.

In aggravation prosecutor Ms Patience Chimusaru had no kind words for the pair likening their behavior to that of wild animals.

“As females especially considering their ages, they are not expected to behave such, their behavior is inhuman. The offence was preplanned for they even brought a sjambok which they used to beat her.

“It clearly shows that they are heartless and ruthless and the complainant was traumatised. What is aggravating is that they even called their colleagues who were cheering them and taking videos.

“The assault was done in a brutal nature and only a custodial sentence will meet the justice of the offence,” she said.