Mzilikazi teacher in court for assaulting learner

A MZILIKAZI Primary School teacher has appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Vivian Ndlovu to answer to charges of assault with the intention to injure a pupil who was a Grade 5 learner in 2020.

Thembinkosi Ngwenya (55), who is out of custody, allegedly stepped on the pupil’s chest and assaulted him using a sjambok all over the body several times resulting in injuries that saw the pupil being referred to Mpilo Hospital for medication.

The court last week heard that on 4 February 2020 at Mzilikazi Primary School, Ngwenya assaulted the pupil by grabbing him by the collar, pushing him to the floor, stepping on his chest and assaulting him with a sjambok all over the body several times.

In her defence, Ngwenya, represented by Byron Sengweni, denied the allegations saying on the day in question she was checking homework around the class. She then noticed that the complainant was sleeping.

She argues that she then tapped the pupil with a pointer three times on the back to wake him up. She further states that the pupil did not wake up, hence she shook the complainant and he moved resulting in his chair resting on top of her foot.

She argues that she also suffered an injury and pain immediately that she made a reflex action to try and free her foot by pushing the complainant’s chair.

As a result, both the complaint and accused fell to the ground. The accused thus denies ever assaulting the complainant. She further said the complainant was generally a problem child who rarely did his work on time or at all. The matter was set for 29 August for continuation of trial. -@ nyeve14