Man ties son to chair, sjamboks him

A 34-YEAR-OLD man from Redcliff who physically abused his 10-year-old son by tying him to a chair before severely assaulting him using a sjambok as punishment for losing goats has been sentenced to one year in jail.

Willard Sikhati of Melrose Farm, Redcliff appeared before Kwekwe magistrate Ms Vimbai Mutukwa facing physical abuse charges last week. He was convicted on his own plea of guilty. Six months were set aside on condition of good behaviour.

In passing his sentence, Ms Mutukwa said the court does not condone physical abuse of minors. She said children look up to their parents for protection and Sikhati was supposed to protect the child instead of physically abusing him.

“You have pleaded guilty before the court and you admitted that you committed the crime out of anger. What is aggravating is the way you went on to discipline the minor hence you deserve a prison term,” she said.

Prosecuting, Mr Vincent Chimwenje told the court that in June at Melrose Farm, Sikhati ordered his son to go and drive goats that were grazing, into the kraal.

“The son complied, but along his way from the grazing lands he lost the goats which ran into a nearby bush and he failed to locate them. Out of fear he went home where he slept in the bathroom.”

The court heard Sikhati looked for the son and when he found him, he tied him to a chair using a rope and made him face down before assaulting him with a sjambok several times on his back. The son was examined at Kwekwe General Hospital where it was discovered that he had sustained multiple bruises on his back due to the assault leading to the Sikhati’ arrest.