The Sunday News
Mncedisi Buhali Sunday News Reporter
A 41-YEAR-OLD Ministry of Justice and Legal Affairs employee has been fined $50 (or 15 days in jail) for assaulting a 13-year-old Grade Six pupil, after he stormed into her class and attacked her in front of her classmates.Gerald Bhazayi of house number 23 Nguboyenja, attacked the pupil at a local primary school on allegations that she bullied his daughter.
Bhazayi appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Mrs Sibongile Msipa last Monday and he pleaded guilty to a charge of assault as defined by Section 89 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act Chapter 9.23.
“You will learn not to take the law into your own hands when you are faced with these particular situations next time,” ruled Mrs Msipa.
The prosecutor, Mr Charles Danda, said that on 6 November at around 7am, the accused’s daughter refused to go to school and when he asked her why, she revealed that she had a misunderstanding with another child at school.
“The accused then proceeded to the primary school. He got into the classroom and grabbed the complainant by the collar. As if that was not enough, the accused then proceeded to choke the complainant,” Mr Danda said.
He said that the accused then instructed the pupil to kneel down.
However, when she got on her knees, the class teacher entered the classroom.
“The complainant sustained a painful neck due to the assault,” Mr Danda said.
When asked why he committed the offence, Bhazayi said it was not his intention to assault the pupil but he was only trying to caution her because his daughter was no longer going to school for fear of being bullied.
