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Police has reminded teachers, parents and guardians to refrain from subjecting children to severe punishments in the name of disciplining them.
The call follows an incident on March 28 in Karongi District, where the head-teacher of Rubengera Secondary School located in Rubengera sector allegedly beat three students, who ended up hospitalized.
The head-teacher Moise Musirimu has since been arrested on charges of severe
punishment, Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Innocent Gasasira; the Police spokesperson for the Northern Region said that severe punishment is an act that is punishable by law
Article 152 of the penal code states that “any person, who intentionally inflicts battery or bodily injuries on a child or a person who is unable to defend him/herself due to physical or mental state or old age, shall be liable to a term of imprisonment of one to three years and a fine of Rwf100, 000 to Rwf500, 000.”
“The manner in which Musirimu beat up the children was terrible. This was an inhuman act of punishment,” said CIP Gasasira
“No one should keep quiet about such inhuman behaviours. As a parent, mentor, neighbor and the general public, and even the children, we need to jointly protect and promote the rights of children, and report such violations.”
Severe punishment is an abuse against a child. Despite various government initiatives to deal with the root causes of child abuse, and legal actions against abusers, according to the spokesperson, individual responsibility is still essential in proper upbringing of children free from abuses, and bringing perpetuators to justice.
