Yeukai Karengezeka — A Harare man, who is an ex-policeman and was captured on video battering his 10-year-old son with a black rubber rope, bricks and a wire, will be sentenced today after pleading guilty to the ill-treatment of a minor.

Knowell Muzenda (39) is appearing before Harare magistrate Mrs Ayanda Dhlamini.

The video went viral on social media, leading to Muzenda's arrest.

Yesterday, during mitigation, the minor pleaded with the court to forgive his father and not give him a custodial sentence as he was his breadwinner and paid school fees for him.

The court heard that on October 6, in Eastview, Muzenda sent his son to buy spaghetti at a nearby tuckshop.

The boy returned later than expected and this did not go down well with Muzenda who then assaulted him with a black rubber rope, a wire, and bricks.

The boy sustained a swollen left cheek, bruises on the back, a swollen right leg and pain all over his body.

Meanwhile, the national police spokesperson, Commissioner Paul Nyathi, thanked the public for using social media positively, which led to Muzenda's arrest.