Maputo — A court in the central Mozambican city of Beira has jailed a school director for assaulting one of his teachers,
According to a report in Thursday's issue of the independent daily "O Pais', the Beira City law court sentenced Amade Selemane, director of the Antiga Emissora Complete Primary School, to a year's imprisonment and to payment of 35,000 meticais (547 US dollars, at the current exchange rate) in compensation to his victim.
The court found that he had assaulted teacher Guida Paulo, causing injuries to her face and neck. She took legal action against Selemane, and in reading its verdict and sentence, the court said the medical experts found that the injuries were serious,
The reason for Selemane's attack on Paulo was that she had attended a party given by the Mayor of Beira, Albano Carige.
The court did not suggest a political motive for the assault - but Carige is the most prominent opposition figure in the city. He became mayor in the 2023 municipal elections, when he ran on the ticket of the Mozambique Democratic Movement (MDM).
Carige has succeeded MDM founder Daviz Simango, who died in 2021, as the senior opposition figure in Beira.
The court said Selemane can replace the 12 month prison term with a daily fine equivalent to one per cent of the monthly minimum wage paid in the public administration. He has also been barred from holding any leadership position in the school for two years.
Selemane's lawyer, Adriano Bungamano, announced that he will appeal against the sentence.
