Teacher Who Cracked 5 Year Old's Head, Sentence To 2 Years

The Kwekwe teacher who made the headlines for cracking her 5-year-old pupil’s head after violently pushing him onto a desk has been sentenced to 2 years in prison. One of the years has suspended on condition of good behaviour.

Sunday News reports that Amaveni Primary School Mejulla Matina pleaded guilty to the charge of assault. Presiding Magistrate Mr Tayengwa Sangster said in passing sentence:

This incident is disturbing, to say the least. This is a five-year-old sent to school to learn under your care. You were in charge of the complainant and it was upon you to protect the complainant and the rights of the minor.

Sentence should be one that fits the offence that is justifiable by the court and the community at large. If prison is not the right sentence here, where then will it fit? We are looking at the extremes of the cases involved here. Certainly community service or a fine will only serve to trivialise the case at hand, you are therefore sentenced to a custodial sentence that is deterrent enough.