Man fined for severely whipping boy

A 47-YEAR-OLD Gwanda man was yesterday fined $200 for severely whipping his 14-year-old nephew for playing on sand that he had heaped at his homestead.

Setha Nare of Mkhaliphe area admitted to ill-treating his nephew when he appeared before magistrate Sheila Nazombe.

Nazombe denounced Nare's behaviour saying as the boy's guardian, he had an obligation to protect the child.

"At your age, you ill-treat a child over sand? You should have surrounded that sand with a fence so that children don't play on top of it. You should know that this child's life is more important than sand," said Nazombe.

The court heard how on April 26 this year, Nare whipped his nephew, who is under his custody, for playing on sand at his homestead.

"The complainant was playing on top of the sand which the accused had heaped in the yard. The accused was not happy to see the complainant playing on top of the heaped sand and assaulted him using a whip severely all over the body, thereby inflicting some injuries," said prosecutor Sikholiwe Ncube.

After being severely assaulted by his uncle, the boy fled to another area where his mother lives.
The matter came to light when the boy refused to return to his uncle's homestead as he feared for his life.

He showed his mother the scars all over the body which were a result of the whipping, the court was told.

The matter was reported to the police leading to Nare's arrest.