Gun-toting College Principal Assaults Journalist
By Observer Reporter
In scenes reminiscent of the Wild West, a gun-toting Father Flower Group of Schools Principal, Jimmy Remekani, allegedly assaulted a Kadoma-based journalist who was investigating malpractices at the institution.
The investigation was on allegations by an Ingezi family which was incensed over the inclusion of their son donning the college’s football colours when he is not enrolled at the institution.
A resident, Mike Ndimande posted in one of Kadoma Residents whatsapp group detailing that he had been arrested after approaching Father Flower College to inquire about the involvements of his son in their school’s football activities when he was a Mupawose Government Primary School pupil.
“Pamusoroi vagari, ndaita dambudziko kunoku, mwana wangu anodidza pa Mupawose, ndazonzwa kuti mwana wangu atorwa naFather Flower ari kutambiswa bhora kuteam yake, achizviti anodzidza paFather Flower ndazoenda kuchikoro chacho kuti ndinobvunza kuti zvafamba sei ndazongoona ndakudhonzwa-dhonzwa izozvi ndiri kumapurisa mukati ndasungwa pamusana pemwana wangu ane makore 13,” he said.
In another post Mike said Father Flower security details had actually handcuffed him.
“I heard that my son had played for Father Flower College and had scored a goal but in a bid to ask the school’s authorities Father Flower Securities handcuffed me and handed me to the police ”
Lloyd Mwale, a journalist with The Observer had visited Father Flower College in Ingezi high density suburb to ascertain claims by Mike Ndimande that his son, Taonga Ndimande, a Grade 7 pupil at Mupawose Government Primary school had been playing for Father Flower College football squad during the private schools’ football tournament last Friday in Ingezi when he met his ordeal at the former police officer’s hands.
Narrating his ordeal at the hands of Remekani and one of his security details, Mwale said that he had approached the college to get their side of the story after Mike Ndimande had sought assistance on how he would handle the issue of his son being used by a private school in their football squad while he is not enrolled at the college and without his consent.
“I proceeded to Ingezi and my first port of call was Mupawose Government Primary School and the school would not confirm nor deny that there was one Taonga Ndimande in Grade 7C, but referred all queries to Mhondoro-Ngezi District Schools Inspector.
“I then proceeded to Father Flower College in Ingezi and sought the headmaster’s confirmation whether they have a Taonga Ndimande in their register book, whether the college had hosted a football tournament and about an incident in which a certain male was arrested for public violence at the school last Friday. Before he responded the headmaster demanded to see my ZMC Accreditation Card which he took it to Remekani who was in another room.
“The principal then came into the reception room demanding why I was at the college demanding information on Taonga Ndimamde. I tried to explain to the headmaster that it in the public interests to know if the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education had issued a circular allowing the use of other schools’ pupils during tournaments, and whether there was no possibility of cheating and using the said Mupawose pupil to defraud other schools. Remekani said I should first be vetted by the ZRP-PDIO Section before entering his premises and he was suspecting I was a criminal before he showed me his pistol which was tucked in his belt.
“As I was about to leave the reception room Remekani returned again and he tried to hit me on the face but I blocked and he handled my tracksuit jacket collar demanding that I must sit down as I was a under arrest and during the scuffle one of his security details joined in and forced me to sit down but I refused and demanded that if I was to sit down I would only sit on the bench.
The situation only ended after the intervention of a friend who was in another room and moments later the police arrived and the police officers took me to their ZRP Ingezi Base,” said Mwale from his home in Rimuka, Kadoma.
Mwale said the police did not charge him for any offence.
Mwale said that he was going to approach the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education for redress.
“Father Flower authorities conduct was that of trying to silence the media and get away with murder,” he said.
Recently another school in MashWest, Wanganui High School in Mhondoro-Ngezi district, was denied the chance to be a national champions on allegations of fraud and cheating after they were alleged to have used an ineligible player.
