HARARE – A teacher filmed brutally attacking a student as other students begged him to stop has been arrested by police.
Michael Freeman Chingwaru, a math teacher at the Harare Einstein Tuition Center in Harare, was seen hitting, punching and using a belt to spank the student.
Other students can be heard pleading over the phone video: “You’re going to hurt him, sir.”
The incident reportedly happened around 10:30 a.m. Thursday. The video went viral after it was uploaded, sparking public outrage.
Police confirmed on Friday that Chingwaru, 39, had been arrested and charged with assault.
According to police, the anonymous lower sixth grader was found by Chingwaru in a Class 4 where he was watching movies after a bunker lesson.
Chingwaru, police said, ordered the student back to his class.
“Rather than returning to his classroom, he went to a biology class and met the same teacher and a bitter exchange ensued, leading to the teacher attacking the complainant,” police said.
Corporal punishment is illegal in Zimbabwe. Another video has since surfaced of the same teacher attacking a ZESA technician. It is unclear when the incident occurred and whether a police report has been filed.
