Harare — Mike Manga, a Prince Edward High School Upper Six pupil and prefect who battered and broke a Form Three pupil's finger -- was yesterday ordered to perform 210 hours of community service.

Harare senior magistrate Mr Lazarus Murendo ruled that the 18-year-old commences the service on Saturday and it will run on weekends and school holidays, allowing Manga to attend lessons as he is a final year pupil.

Manga was sentenced to 16 months in prison before 10 months were suspended on condition that he does not commit a similar offence in the next five years.

Mr Murendo stressed that should Manga be convicted of an assault case within the specified period, he would serve the suspended 10 months in addition to the new sentence.

A further six months were set aside on condition Manga performs 210 hours of community service at Selbourne Primary School in Harare.

Manga was convicted on his own plea of guilt to assaulting Bruce, the son of Zimbabwe National Soccer Supporters' Association vice-president Eddie "Mboma" Nyatanga.

Prosecutor Mr Austin Muzivi had called for a custodial sentence as one way of curbing bullying in schools, while defence lawyer Mr Gift Nyandoro of Artherstone and Cook pleaded for a lighter sentence.

Facts are that on June 7 Bruce was talking to his friends at the school after break time when Manga and another prefect arrived at the scene.

Bruce and the other prefect started chatting with the boy jokingly, saying he would challenge the Upper Six prefects after completing Ordinary Level next year.

This did not go down well with Manga who was listening to the discussion. He subsequently dragged the boy to the prefects' study room.

While in the study room, Manga beat up the boy several times on the head with clenched fists before he fell to the ground.

He further kicked the boy with booted feet and broke his finger as he tried to shield himself from the kicks.

Meanwhile, in a different court, seven more Prince Edward Upper Six bullies were ordered to perform community service at their school for assaulting another junior, Denford Banga.