Police in Buhweju District of Western Uganda is investigating the circumstances surrounding the assault of a senior one student by the Headteacher together with other teachers accusing her of theft.
The assaulted student has been identified as Moreen Nagasha, 16, from St Victor Secondary School in Katara, Buhweju District.
Nagasha was first rushed to a clinic in Buhweju where she was admitted for three days before she was transferred to Diisi Medical clinic for better treatment following her assault.
According to Dr Rodgers Shabomwe, the in-charge of Diisi Medical Clinic in Bwizibwera, Mbarara District where Nagasha has been admitted, the student was brought in heavily wounded on her buttocks to the extent of being unable to walk by herself.
“So far she can neither walk nor sit without support. We have dressed the wounds on her buttocks to reduce the pain,” Dr Shabomwe told The Pearl Times.
On her hospital bed in Mbarara, Nagasha painfully narrated what happened to her on that day. She told this reporter that it all started after being found in the dormitory during class hours. That some students’ suitcases were found broken at the same time, making fellow students suspect her to be behind the theft.
On finding her in the dormitory, Nagasha further narrated to The Pearl Times, students called the Headteacher who took her to the staff room and started beating her without giving her any chance to explain why she was in the dormitory during class hours, and to defend herself against the allegations.
She added that they started beating her from around 11am and would not stop punishing her until 5pm. As they beat her, she further claimed, they made sure she was lying under the office chairs.
“Whenever I would make an alarm, School chairman PTA could cover my mouth and inflict heavy slaps on my cheeks,” Nagasha, tears flowing down her cheeks, went on to tell The Pearl Times.
“I was saved by Master Erias who later came in at around 5pm and pleaded for my release.”
Even after being punished by the headteacher, she further claimed, she would suffer more beatings. Some of those who beat her reportedly sought first aid medicine when they realized that her condition had worsened.
“From there I was taken to the dormitory where the school head girl and some other students undressed me, removing off my skirt, which was now full of bl*od,” she said.
“The head girl rushed to the Deputy head teacher seeking for tablets to save me and was offered to her, but shockingly when approached the Head teacher about my critical condition, he told them to leave me.”
Nagasha’s father Leodius Byabashaija said he had learnt of the incident from his village’s leader. He wants government to do more to protect children in schools.
“I had a call from chairman LC1 saying that he also had a call from the DPC Nsika that my child was brutally beaten from school and is in critical condition, ” he told this reporter.
“I condemn the act and ask the government to come out and fight for children rights especially girl child” Father decries.
In a phone call, the head teacher, Bernard Kabagambe, confirmed the incident. Kabagambe claimed that when other students moved to morning classes, Nagasha went back to the dormitory and broke into students’ suitcases and stole money.
He also claimed that Nagasha was beaten up by the fellow students not him (the head teacher), the school PTA Chairman and other teachers as Nagasha said.
SP Timothy Ndahura from Buhweju Police said statements have been recorded from some the staff members.
“No arrests have been mad since suspects who assaulted Nagasha are still on run,” added Ndahura. “Efforts to apprehend the suspects are still ongoing.”
A similar incident happened weeks ago in Ntungamo District where a student was also beaten up by teachers.
See related crime stories Here, There and Over There.
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