HARARE – A teacher filmed brutally assaulting a student as other learners pleaded with him to stop has been arrested by police.
Michael Freeman Chingwaru, a Maths teacher at Harare Einstein Tuition Centre in Harare, was seen punching, slapping and using a belt to beat up the student.
Other students are heard on the phone video pleading: “You will hurt him Sir.”
The incident reportedly happened at around 10.30AM on Thursday. The video went viral after it was posted online, sparking public outrage.
Police on Friday confirmed that Chingwaru, 39, had been arrested and charged with assault.
According to police, the unnamed Lower Sixth student was earlier found by Chingwaru in a Form 4 class watching movies after bunking lessons.
Chingwaru, police said, ordered the student to return to his class.
“Instead of returning to his class, he went to a Biology classroom and coincidentally met the same teacher and a harsh exchange of words occurred, resulting in the teacher assaulting the complainant,” police said.
Corporal punishment has been outlawed in Zimbabwe.
Meanwhile, another video has emerged of the same teacher assaulted a ZESA technician. It is not known when the incident occurred, and if a police report was filed.
