Teacher on the run after fondling Form 5 pupil
FARAI MATEBVU
MIRROR REPORTER
BUHERA ñ A 35-year-old teacher at Murambinda High School is allegedly on the run after fondling and kissing a Form 5 student he had tricked into his office on the pretext of helping her to access WiFi
The teacher has been identified as Owen Muchabaiwa.
Murambinda High head, Dave Mudhebhe is accused of failing to take up the matter after the girl reported the case to school authorities. The matter only came to light after Girl Child Network and the mother of the girl went to Police, according to information reaching The Mirror.
Both Manicaland Police spokesperson, Norbert Muzondo and Buhera District Schools’ Inspector, Tirivanhu Mutomba confirmed the case.
Police has since opened a docket while the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education has put up a team of school inspectors to investigate the matter.
The girl’s mother is also complaining that the head is threatening her and her child for taking the matter outside the school.
Efforts to get a comment from Mudhebhe were futile.
It is understood that Muchabaiwa tricked the girl into his office to do her research on a history assignment on the internet. Muchabaiwa grabbed her, clutched her in his arms, kissed and fondled her when she entered the office.
The complainant reported the matter to Everness Makogo a senior teacher at the school who in turn reported the case to the head.
Mudhebhe allegedly did not act on the matter until the complainant reported the case to her mother, Tracy Munhangu who threatened to report the matter but was given US$150 to keep the matter under wraps.
Police then picked the story from Girl Child Network, an organisation that advocates for girl child rights.
Munhangu alleged that the head convened a meeting last week for all girls at the school and told them not to report cases outside the school.
“My daughter and I are receiving threats. The threats are now disturbing her and she cannot cope with her studies,” Munhangu told The Mirror.
“We have set a team of inspectors to investigate the matter. It hasn’t concluded yet because the accused teacher is on the run”, said Mutomba.
