The Sunday News
Michael Magoronga, Kwekwe Correspondent
THE Roman Catholic Church has transferred Shungu High School headmaster over his conduct in handling a sodomy case that rocked the school last year.
The Catholic Church run school in Kwekwe was in November, rocked by sodomy allegations, when a Form 4 pupil allegedly sodomised a Form 2 pupil.
Despite a report made to the school, the headmaster Mr Gilbert Tichaurawa allegedly did not take any action. The issue, however, came to light when the parent of the victimised child made a report to the police after Mr Tichaurawa allgedly tried to sweep the matter under the carpet.
It is reported that Mr Tichaurawa tried to keep the matter under wraps to serve the face of one of the school’s authorities, whose child was the alleged perpetrator.
On 6 December 2016, magistrate Mr Lavard Philemon ordered that the perpetrator, whose name is withheld on ethical grounds, to receive five strokes of the rattan cane at Kwekwe Prisons after he pleaded guilty to aggravated indecent assault charges.
Bishop in Charge of all Midlands Catholic Schools, Bishop Xavier Munyongani of Gweru Diocese said his church was totally dismayed by Mr Tichaurawa’s conduct.
“We did not receive any reports from the headmaster on this (sodomy) issue, this shows lack of responsibility by the headmaster,” he said.
Bishop Munyongani said the head could have acted in a more responsible manner and reported the matter to the church superiors.
He said Mr Tichaurawa had since been removed from the school and the deputy head had already assumed the head’s role.
“We have since written to the Ministry (of Primary and Secondary Education) asking for Tichaurawa’s transfer to another school,” he said.
Midlands provincial education director Mrs Agnes Gudo confirmed receiving the communication saying they were looking into the issue.
“We received communication to that effect and we are looking at the issue,” said Ms Gudo.
Contacted for comment, Mr Tichaurawa declined to comment saying he was not allowed to speak to the media.
