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Bulawayo Bureau
A 24-year-old teacher from Longwe Primary School in Bubi District in Matabeleland South Province has been arrested for allegedly sodomising 10 pupils at the school in separate incidents.
Nkosiyazi Sibanda who comes from one of the nearby villages allegedly started sodomising the pupils in his class last year and would give them money to buy their silence.

It could not be immediately established how much he was giving them.
A Bulawayo resident, Ms Samukeliso Ncube who came across the 10 victims at the Bulawayo United Hospitals (UBH) on Friday said the juveniles sought medical attention at the institution with the youngest, aged eight, being treated for severe injuries on his bottom.
“I met these children at UBH and they looked traumatised. I tried to find out what happened and I was shocked to learn that they were sodomised by their teacher,” said Ms Ncube who had visited the hospital.

“I have heard about incidents of sodomy but I never thought that a teacher of all the people could abuse children in this manner. What hurts most is that he had targets and would sodomise them over and over again giving them money as payment.

“I wonder what has befallen our people and I pray that he did not infect the boys with STIs or worse HIV. This man needs to be punished because people like him hinder progress in our schools.”

It is understood that Sibanda ran out luck when he sexually abused an eight-year-old boy who went on to report the matter to his parents.
“One of the boys decided to report Sibanda after he sodomised him and gave him money. Soon after the report many boys, all from his class confessed that he had been sodomising them leading to his arrest,” said a source.

Matabeleland North provincial police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Siphiwe Makonese confirmed the incident yesterday and said investigations were underway.

“I can confirm we received a report of a teacher at Longwe Primary School who was sodomising his pupils. The teacher was arrested and appeared in court and further investigations are underway.

“He was initially arrested for sodomising one pupil but after his arrest, a number of pupils have also been reporting that he used to sodomise them. The number of pupils he sodomised seems to be more than what we have and we are hopeful investigations will help us,” said Asst Insp Makonese.

She urged members of the public to desist from such behaviour.
“We do not expect such behaviour from anyone especially teachers who spend most of the time with the children. We urge members of the public to safeguard the rights of children all the time,” she said.

An education officer from Matabeleland North who identified herself as Mrs Z Sibanda said her office had not received the report.