By Staff Reporter
Allan Wilson High School headmaster Tafara Zhou has been implicated in an aggravated indecent assault storm.
He allegedly abused a student from 2022 to last year.
Zhou, was not asked to plead when he appeared in court over the weekend.
Allegations are that in 2022, the complainant who is now 19 years old, heard from neighbors in Seke that certain schools in Harare
offer scholarships to underprivileged children.
The boy then approached popular Harare schools including Prince Edward Boys, Cranborne Boys High School and Churchil Boys High but failed to secure a scholarship.
He then went to Allan Willson Boys High School where he met Zhou and told him that he was looking for a place for Form 3.
The boy allegedly told Zhou that he was a traditional healer and Zhou offered to cater for all the boy’s needs in exchange for spiritual help.
The court heard that in June 2022, Zhou allegedly called the complainant to his car and told him that, he decided to have a sexual relationship with him since he was catering for all his expenses.
Zhou allegedly threatened to expel the boy from school.
The state claimed that due to desperation, the boy agreed to the request and they engaged into sexual activity without the boy’s consent.
The boy returned to the hostel but never told anyone about the incident.
In January 2023, Zhou allegedly took the boy from the hostel to the laundry room and engaged into forced sexual activity for the second time.
Other students allegedly asked him where he was and he lied to them that he had gone to take a bath.
In February 2023, the school had a trip and Zhou insisted that the boy go with him.
It is alleged that, as they discussed the matter, Zhou took the boy outside the hostel to his house and abused him for the third time.
The following morning, all Form one students boarded the bus and went to Victoria Falls.
Zhou took the boy into his car and drove to Victoria Falls where he booked a room for him and allegedly abused him for three days.
He allegedly abused him again on the way back.
Zhou allegedly abused the boy on numerous other occasions. In June 2024, the complainant went to the Zimbabwe Anti Corruption Offices and saw a Mr Dube and told him his story.
He however pleaded that the matter was not for police since Zhou was paying his school fees.
It is further alleged that Zhou then took the boy’s phone and deleted all his messages and pictures.
He allegedly threatened the boy that he was well connected and no one would believe his story.
When complainant wanted to register for his exams, he asked for the money from Zhou but he refused to give him.
The boy was then helped to register for his exams by the teachers at Allan Willson Boys High School and this allegedly did not go down well with Zhou, who expelled the complainant from school.
After receiving his results this year, the boy filed a complaint with the police with the assistance of his teacher
