Violent teacher found guilty

Prosper Dembedza-Court Correspondent

TALENT Chingwaru, the Mathematics teacher who was last week filmed assaulting a Lower Six student at a school in Harare, was yesterday convicted on his own plea of guilt and immediately appealed for a lighter sentence from the court, saying he was emotionally stressed when he committed the offence.

Chingwaru (39), a teacher at Harare Einstein Tuition Centre told magistrate Mrs Judith Taruvinga that he was struggling with a toothache, which caused him emotional stress.

He will be back in court today for sentencing.

The State led by Mrs Shambadzeni Fungura told the court that they were waiting for a medical affidavit to ascertain the degree of injury sustained by the student.

In the video circulated on social media, Chingwaru was seen hitting the teenager with a belt and open hands ordering him to sit down in the process.

Desks and chairs were scattered all over the classroom while other pupils watched helplessly.

Chingwaru was also seen head-butting the pupil.

Chingwaru, committed the crime last Thursday at around 10.30am.

The teenager, who is a Lower Six student, was found in the Ordinary Level class watching some movies during lesson time. Chingwaru ordered him to go back to his class.

Instead, the student went to a biology classroom and coincidentally met Chingwaru who confronted him.

The confrontation resulted in a heated exchange of words ending with Chingwaru assaulting the student.

In 2019, the Constitutional Court outlawed corporal punishment, saying it amounts to inhuman and degrading punishment.

Chief Justice Luke Malaba, sitting with eight other judges, ruled that such inhuman treatment had no place in a democratic society.

The court struck down Section 353 of the Criminal Procedure and Evidence Act, which provides for the caning of juvenile offenders, saying it was in conflict with Section 53 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe.