The school located along the Chiredzi Tanganda highway had to be temporarily closed after a team of war veterans in the company of police officers descended at the school to fish out school children who had allegedly taken sugar cane from fields that the war vets invaded during the land “reform”.
Sources said the war veterans had a list of names of pupils. In the company of the police they took a group of young children to the nearby police station where they were severely beaten.
Caleb Mlotswa, whose child was beaten up has since threatened to take court action against them. “We are unhappy with what happened,” said Mlotswa. “The children came home and told us that they were beaten up by the police and war veterans for allegedly eating sugar from farms occupied by the former freedom fighters. My child was beaten up and she had to be treated at Chiredzi general hospital. I am going to take court action to make sure that those who assaulted my child are brought to book,” said Mlotswa.
Shadreck Lisenga another parent who has children attending school at Nandi Primary school said that the war veterans and police actions were barbaric. “I have never witnessed such a barbaric act where children as young as six and seven are subjected to torture by the police and war veterans,” he said. “If it was indeed true that the pupils had eaten some sugar cane then it was proper for the affected farmers to approach the parents of those children so that they could be compensated.”
Health officials at Chiredzi hospital confirmed treating the children, who have since been discharged.
“We treated about 20 school children from Nandi primary school after they were brought to us by the police, “said an official at Chiredzi general hospital. Masvingo provincial education director Zedius Chitiga confirmed receiving such a report adding that they were still investigating the incident.
Masvingo provincial police spokesman Assistant Inspector kudakwashe Dhewa said he was not aware of the incident.
Post published in: News