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*Parents Cleared Of Misconduct Charges After School Protest*

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A court has acquitted four parents—Jennifer Sithole, Tafirenyika Boterere, Shadreck Manyange, and Brighton Manyange—of misconduct charges related to a protest against maladministration at Sagambe Primary School in Honde Valley.

According to the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, the four were arrested alongside a 3-year-old toddler and Esther Kuseri, who was pregnant at the time.

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The prosecution alleged that the parents organized a protest against school head Evans Mwaturura and disrupted students’ attendance.

The grievances were initially raised during a School Development Committee meeting, leading to tensions with school authorities.

Kuseri was arrested for disorderly conduct during a subsequent meeting with Ministry officials but later paid a fine to avoid the discomfort of detention due to her pregnancy.

Another individual, Chikosa, faced separate charges related to the protest but was released from remand pending further action from prosecutors.

On September 4, 2024, Mutasa Magistrate Artwell Sanyatwe found the four parents not guilty at the close of the prosecution’s case, with their lawyer Tatenda Sigauke representing them. Said ZLHR:

> A court has absolved 4 parents of misconduct charges after they stood trial for allegedly staging a protest against maladministration by some school authorities in Honde Valley.

> The parents namely, Jennifer Sithole, Tafirenyika Boterere, Shadreck Manyange and Brighton Manyange, had been standing trial at Mutasa Magistrates Court in Mutasa District in Manicaland Province after they were arrested by police officers together with a 3-year-old toddler, and Esther Kuseri, who was pregnant at the time of arrest, and charged with disorderly conduct in a public place as defined in section 41 of Criminal Code.

> During trial, prosecutors claimed that Sithole, Manyange, Boterere and Manyange, who reside in Sagambe village in Mutasa District in Manicaland Province, masterminded a protest against Evans Mwaturura, the school head at Sagambe Primary School, who stood accused by some parents and guardians, of presiding over maladministration at the school.

> The villagers were also accused of stopping school children from attending lessons at Sagambe Primary School.

> The allegations of maladministration had been raised during a School Development Committee (SDC) Annual General Meeting, which was held at Sagambe Primary School, where some parents intended to raise several concerns against Mwaturura.

> The disgruntled parents had sought to engage officials from the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education and eventually, a meeting was held with officials from the ministry in the presence of some ZRP officers from Ruda Police Station.

> Kuseri was arrested during the meeting for allegedly raising her voice against an official at the consultation.

> She was later released from Ruda Police Station on Thursday 7 March 2024 after she paid an admission of guilt fine for disorderly conduct in a public place for contravening section 41 of the Criminal Code following the intervention of ZLHR lawyers.

> Kuseri opted to pay an admission of guilt fine for disorderly conduct in a public place because she was pregnant and the conditions of police detention were making her uncomfortable and she was not comfortable with the inconvenience of court processes considering her condition.

> Chikosa who is the former SDC Chairperson at Sagambe Primary School, was separately charged with contravening section 37 of the Criminal Code for allegedly participating in a gathering with intent to promote public violence, breaches of the peace or bigotry.

> He was accused of being the one who had written a list of grievances levelled against Mwaturura, which had been presented at the meeting with officials from the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education.

> Chikosa was removed from remand and advised that he would be summoned to stand trial if prosecutors decide to pursue the matter.

> On 4 September 2024, Mutasa Magistrate Artwell Sanyatwe acquitted Sithole, Boterere and Manyange, who were represented by Tatenda Sigauke, after finding them not guilty at the close of the prosecution case.

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