A 57-year-old teacher from a Bikita school was arrested for
allegedly molesting five of his grade four learners on separate incidents.
The teacher who cannot be named for ethical reasons is
alleged to have indecently assaulted his victims who are all between nine and
eleven years old, between May 1 and May 23 2024.
A disturbing video of the innocent learners is trending on
social media after the parents through the School Development Committee (SDC)
and the local traditional leaders convened a meeting where they stopped school
operations and brought everyone out forcing the leaners to narrate their ordeal
in front of other learners, teaches, parents and police constabulary officers.
Masvingo Provincial Police Spokesperson confirmed the
incident and said the teacher was arrested and would appear in court on charges
of indecent assault.
“I can confirm we have a report of a teacher who was nabbed
by the police for indecent assault after he was reported for molesting five
leaners aged between 9 and 11,” said Dhewa.
He promised that the police will look into the matter of
the trending video to establish its source, advising the school authorities,
community to report such cases to the police and let them handle matters.
Bikita District Education Inspector (DSI) James Mahofa also
confirmed the incident and said they had since dispatched a team to the school
to establish what really happened.
He then referred the reporter to the Provincial Education
Director (PED) Shylatte Mhike who also said she was yet to get a full report
from the district.
“A team from different departments is currently on the
ground to investigate the matter and we are yet to get a full report of the
matter,” said Mhike.
Circumstances are that on May 23, one learner asked for
permission to go to the toilet from the accused who then caressed the victim
with his hand underneath the table before allowing her to go.
Around 1300hrs on the same day, he allegedly called another
learner and asked her to escort him to his house and upon arrival he allegedly
pushed her on the bed, caressed her before she got up and ran away and told her
classmates.
One of victims gathered courage and reported to the deputy
head who told the school head.
It is alleged that some learners later opened up with one
saying she was forced to sit on his lap whilst he was naked.
However, the parents later got wind of the incident and
convened a meeting where they paraded the learners to narrate their ordeal in
front of them and local traditional leaders who later handed the accused to
Bikita Police.
A number of people have raised concern over the way the
parents handled the matter, forcing the learners to speak in public while
someone was recording a video which was later leaked to social media.
TellZimNews
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