Africa-Press – Uganda. Mukono Chief Magistrate Court has convicted and fined school heads of Our Lady of Africa Namilyango SSS Shs 2.1 million for caning of a senior one student.
While appearing before Grade One Magistrate, Ms Jackline Kagoya, on Thursday, the three accused persons were charged with the offense of neglect of duty contrary to Section 114 of the Penal Code Act, Cap 120 and are to pay Shs 700,000 each as a fine or serve a one-year jail term.
Prosecution told court that on July 19, 2019, Harriet Matovu, the head teacher, her deputy Robert Kizito and Grace Kayizzi, a Senior One teacher, neglected their duty which they were charged with performing by virtue of the employment- to take disciplinary action against Mahad Ssuna, a teacher/warden who administered a corporal punishment to a student.
The 14-year-old victim (name withheld) sustained injuries as a result of canes administered on him by Ssuna who is said to be in hiding.
The victim’s parents only got to learn of what happened to their son during holidays in August 2019.
Mr Oketcho Pokomol, the victim’s father said his son took his beddings outside to dry on realising that he had wet his bed. However, another student who had also wet his bed left his in the dormitory and when the warden came, he instead caned Opendi without first ascertaining the actual owner of the beddings in the dormitory.
“The warden went in class looking for him and pounced on the helpless boy, beating him several times. He then led him out to pick the beddings, only to realise he had punished the wrong student,” he said.
He said his son told him that he was caned more than 50 times before other students in class.
Mr Oketcho said that on realising he had caned the wrong person, the warden reportedly apologised and told the boy to bathe and get back to class.
The students who helped the victim report to the administration said Mr Samuel Ssejjengo, a teacher at the school, took Opendi to the sick bay but the warden later picked him and took him to his house, where he stayed for two days without attending class.
The victim’s mother, Ms Mary Consolate Adupa, said when she went to see her son on visitation day, she was told he had gone for a school debate at St Mary’s College Kisubi.
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