By Wanja Waweru
Police and education officials in Nyamira are investigating the alleged beating of a Grade Eight pupil at Bitundugusu Primary School, which led to swelling of his scrotum, subsequent surgery, and removal of his testicle.
The incident comes after another that occurred in the same county a week earlier when a teacher used Grade Four students to restrain a classmate so that he could beat the youngster and gravely hurt him.
The most recent occurrence occurred at Bitundugusu Primary School in the Kitutu Masaba Constituency, and the youngster who lost his testicle is still being treated at Bosongo Hospital, a for-profit hospital in Kisii County.
The boy was admitted to the hospital after being brought there with severely swollen private parts, according to medical personnel who spoke to the Nation.
After examining the boy, the doctors discovered that one of his testicles had suffered irreparable damage from what they termed “testicular torsion,” necessitating surgery to end the boy’s agonizing agony.
“He was brought to us in a critical condition. We performed an emergency operation on him last Friday. He is still recovering, but is too weak to even walk,” said a nurse.
The adolescent was sent from Kisii Teaching and Referral Hospital to Bosongo Hospital. (KTRH). His transfer to the private hospital for a speedy intervention was recommended by the KTRH surgeons because emergency surgery was essential.
Medical staff at Bosongo claimed they were unaware that the child had been beaten up at school.
After being physically hurt by his teachers on March 24, the 15-year-old boy was brought to Getare Dispensary in Nyamira County, where he was treated before being sent to KTRH.
Police in Nyamira verified that an assault report had been submitted by the boy’s mother under OB number 14/03/04/2023 and that an investigation had started to determine the circumstances surrounding the boy’s teachers’ assault.
Officers from Manga Police Station also visited Bosongo Hospital on Tuesday to continue their investigations.
Nyamira County Police Commander James Mitugo said the matter had been reported to them and they were investigating.
“We have the case and we are pursuing it,” Mr Mitugo said.
Education officials from Manga sub-county visited the school on Tuesday as they began investigating the incident.
The incident, which is the second reported case of corporal punishment in the county, has led to heavy criticism of the teachers by an outraged public, which has appealed to the Ministry of Education to rein in rebellious teachers who break the code of discipline for schoolchildren.
“My son will never father a child,” lamented the distraught mother, accusing the teachers of damaging her son’s future.
