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Codelia Mondela, Court Reporter
AN Early Childhood Development (ECD) teacher in Nyamandlovu has been sentenced to 12 months in prison for fondling a Grade Seven pupil.

Lovemore Tshuma (45) called the 12-year-old pupil into his classroom in June this year under the pretext that he wanted her to help him to draw lines in his scheme books and ended up fondling her.

Tshuma pleaded not guilty to indecent assault before Bulawayo magistrate Ms Sthembiso Ncube.

She sentenced him to 12 months in jail and suspended six months on condition that Tshuma does not repeat a similar offence within five years. The remaining six months were suspended on condition that Tshuma performs 210 hours of community service at Pumula Police Station.

Ms Ncube said: “Tshuma is a family man and has suffered after being expelled from the institution where he was training. A custodial sentence is too harsh and he deserves a second chance. However, he was expected to be a father figure to the student but he ended up fondling her. A fine is not a suitable punishment.”

Prosecuting, Ms Tafadzwa Mutsambiwa said Tshuma fondled the pupil on June 29 this year around 7AM.She said the minor went to Tshuma’s classroom after he summoned her.

“He asked the minor to help him with underlining his books. He hugged her, fondled her chest and buttocks,” she said.

The court heard that the minor removed his hand and left his classroom. She told her class teacher who reported the matter to the police. In a story carried by The Chronicle in July, Tshuma was alleged to have raped two people on separate occasions, a Grade Seven pupil as well as a woman whose husband worked for him.

He, however, allegedly negotiated with the man and wife who are said to be from Binga to compensate them with a beast so that they drop charges against him.

@MondelaC