News / Local
Head fined for touching pupil's breasts
13 Mar 2016 at 07:55hrs | Views
The former head of Nandi Primary School in Chiredzi, Christopher Magwendere (53) who touched a pupil's breasts has been ordered to pay a fine of $300 by Magistrate Geraldine Mutsoto.
Masvingo Mirror reported that Mangwendere resigned from the Ministry of Education immediately after the matter was reported to his superiors last year.
He touched the girl as she was cleaning one of the rooms at his offices.
Mangwendere could not be convicted on a charge against second minor after it was ruled out that the evidence was inadequate.
It is the State case that the complainant and her colleagues were ordered by the head to come early to school to sweep some rooms. While they were doing so the complainant was given her own room to sweep.
Mangwendere then entered the room and closed the door behind him as the girl was removing some spider webs from the walls.
Mangwendere walked close to the minor and started rubbing her head going down to the shoulders until his hands reached the breasts which he then touched.
He was asking the girl about her family and siblings as he did so but the child bolted out as soon as he started touching her breasts.
The minor reported the matter to her colleagues and then to her mother after senior teachers in the school had planned to resolve the matter internally. The mother came to the school and Mangwendere resigned soon afterwards.
On the second charge Mangwendere was accused of touching a 13 year old girl.
In her ruling, Mutsoto considered the humiliation that Mangwendere suffered, his age and that he was a first offender.
Mangwendere who was represented by Tatenda Kabasa of Pundu Legal Practitioners pleaded not guilty to the charges and cited hatred from fellow teachers as the reason for his persecution.
Magwendere's lawyer prayed for the court to exercise leniency with his client saying he was an elderly man who had served as a teacher for over 30 years.
"The accused only touched breasts of the complainant and also that the complainant had served more than 30 years teaching and that he is elderly, the court should be lenient in passing out the sentence." said Kabasa.
David Tafangenyasha prosecuted.
Masvingo Mirror reported that Mangwendere resigned from the Ministry of Education immediately after the matter was reported to his superiors last year.
He touched the girl as she was cleaning one of the rooms at his offices.
Mangwendere could not be convicted on a charge against second minor after it was ruled out that the evidence was inadequate.
It is the State case that the complainant and her colleagues were ordered by the head to come early to school to sweep some rooms. While they were doing so the complainant was given her own room to sweep.
Mangwendere then entered the room and closed the door behind him as the girl was removing some spider webs from the walls.
Mangwendere walked close to the minor and started rubbing her head going down to the shoulders until his hands reached the breasts which he then touched.
He was asking the girl about her family and siblings as he did so but the child bolted out as soon as he started touching her breasts.
The minor reported the matter to her colleagues and then to her mother after senior teachers in the school had planned to resolve the matter internally. The mother came to the school and Mangwendere resigned soon afterwards.
On the second charge Mangwendere was accused of touching a 13 year old girl.
In her ruling, Mutsoto considered the humiliation that Mangwendere suffered, his age and that he was a first offender.
Mangwendere who was represented by Tatenda Kabasa of Pundu Legal Practitioners pleaded not guilty to the charges and cited hatred from fellow teachers as the reason for his persecution.
Magwendere's lawyer prayed for the court to exercise leniency with his client saying he was an elderly man who had served as a teacher for over 30 years.
"The accused only touched breasts of the complainant and also that the complainant had served more than 30 years teaching and that he is elderly, the court should be lenient in passing out the sentence." said Kabasa.
David Tafangenyasha prosecuted.
Source - Masvingo Mirror
