The St Matthias Tsonzo High School head Maxwell Samboona is set to appear before a disciplinary hearing over the disappearance of the late former student Livingstone Sunhwa from the school.
Following the discovery of Livingstone’s skeletal remains six months later, Samboona was suspended for a few months before he resumed his duties at the school.
Livingstone (19) was buried in December 2022, a year after he had gone missing from St Matthias Tsonzo High School where he was doing Form Four.
The remains were buried after DNA tests conducted confirmed that they were Livingstone’s.
The disciplinary hearing will take place at the school on 18 May, with witnesses expected to give accounts of what they witnessed during Livingstone’s last days at the school.
The hearing comes shortly after an inquest into the teenager’s death began at Mutasa Magistrates’Court.
Livingstone’s mother, Selina Tadya, has since received a letter from the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education’s Discipline Services requesting her to testify at the hearing.
When contacted for comment, Manicaland Provincial Education Director, Edward Shumba said he will not comment as the hearing is a confidential matter.
Tadya told The Manica Post that although she had gone back to South Africa where she works, she will attend the hearing. She said:
Everything had been stagnant all along and I was about to lose hope in the justice system but now it seems as if we could get justice for Livingstone.
While this will not bring my son back, I feel that justice should still prevail.
Of course, it will bring back traumatic memories to my daughter and l, as well as those close to us, but we will continue seeking justice for Livingstone.
Livingstone’s 17-year-old sister, who was also learning at St Matthias Tsonzo at the time of his death, recently testified before Mutasa Magistrate, Artwell Sanyatwe at the ongoing inquest at the Magistrates’ Court.
She said she suspects foul play on her brother’s death as no one, including school authorities and the Zimbabwe Republic Police, informed her mother that Livingstone was missing from school, even several days after his disappearance.
