HARARE – A teacher who was filmed assaulting a student has been handed a suspended three-year jail term.
Magistrate Judith Taruvinga found Michael Freeman Chingwaru, 29, guilty of assault on his own plea last Friday and remanded him in custody to Monday for sentencing.
Taruvinga sentenced the Maths teacher to 36 months in prison but conditionally suspended 18 after finding that he was a first-time offender and did not waste the court’s time.
The remaining 18 months were suspended on condition Taruvinga performs 630 hours of community service at Parirenyatwa Hospital.
Advocate Joshua Chirambwe appeared for Chingwaru while Shambadzeni Fungura prosecuted.
Chingwaru, a Maths teacher at Harare Einstein Tuition Centre in Harare, was filmed head-butting, slapping and using a belt to assault the 18-year-old student.
Other students are heard on the phone video pleading: “You will hurt him Sir.”
The incident happened at around 10.30AM on Thursday last week.
According to the prosecution, the unnamed Lower Sixth student had earlier been found by Chingwaru in a Form 4 class watching movies after bunking lessons.
Chingwaru ordered the student to return to his class. Instead of returning to his class, the student went to a Biology classroom and met the same teacher leading to a confrontation.
Corporal punishment has been outlawed in Zimbabwe.
