Girl beaten by teachers over Facebook photo seeks justice

Jelidah Nyaboke, the mother of the injured girl, shows reporters photos showing bruises the student sustained after being assaulted by teachers. [Stanley Ongwae, Standard]

A student who was allegedly abused by teachers for reportedly having posted a photo on social media is yet to get redress.

The Form Two student at Nayikuro Mixed Secondary School claims she was beaten with hosepipes by at least four teachers.

“I had just taken a shower and returned to the dormitory when a friend of mine took a picture of me wearing a towel. Afterwards, the school principal called me to his office and asked why the picture was posted on Facebook,” she narrated.

Her mother Jelidah Nyaboke said she was shown the pictures, which, she says, were not explicit.

“The photo I was shown showed the girl in a towel covering the chest to her knees. Moreso, it was taken by her friend,” the mother argued.

The student claims as punishment, she was ordered to wash school lavatories with bare hands.

After the first punishment, the girl claims she was again ordered to carry bricks and arrange them within the school compound before she was suspended.

The incident happened two months ago.

The mother said probably out fear of being punished again at home, the student kept quiet about the wounds she had sustained, but opened up when it became unbearable.

She says after stripping her daughter, she saw the bruises.

A report from Nyamira County Hospital shows the student had scars on her thighs, legs and back. An X-ray report signed by Dr Ben Machungo indicated that the girl suffered vertebral sprain.

The incident was reported at Manga Police Station and booked under OB 09/03/2018.

Area OCPD James Musyimi said investigation had started and that police were already taking statements from other students and teachers.

When contacted for comment, school principal Eric Wara said the girl’s parents were yet to report the matter to his office.

Nyamira Director of Teachers Service Commission Olendo Onono said his office had instituted a process of addressing the case but indicated that it was first being handled by the Board of Management.