Johnson Progress

Eleven school children, aged between 13 and 17, are suing Green Fuel, an ethanol producing company, and its security guards for more than US$100,000 in damages after being savagely assaulted for allegedly stealing sugarcane from the company’s fields.

The parents and guardians of the children enlisted the services of human rights lawyers Tatenda Sigauke and Peggy Tavagadza, who filed summons at Chipinge Magistrates Court on Friday, August 22, 2025.

According to Sigauke and Tavagadza, the security guards, Makina Ngwenya, Benjamin Dube, and Munorwei Gomondera, accused the children of stealing sugarcane from Green Fuel’s fields while they were on their way from Katanga Secondary School in Chipinge, Manicaland province.

The guards allegedly ordered the children to lie down on their bellies and used a switch to flog them several times on their backsides and all over their bodies.

Gomondera reportedly recorded videos of the assault, which later went viral on social media platforms.

The lawyers charged that the children sustained injuries from the assault and experienced swollen backsides and were unable to walk properly for some time.

“The school children experienced shock, pain and suffering, both physical and psychological, emotional trauma and distress, contumelia and suffered public humiliation while their dignity and bodily integrity was violated,” Sigauke and Tavagadza said.

The lawyers are demanding payment of US$110,000 in damages, which includes US$10,000 for each child.

“We want the court to order Ngwenya, Dube, Gomondera, and Green Fuel to pay a total of US$110,000 for damages for pain and suffering, shock, trauma, contumelia, and violation of dignity,” the lawyers said.

In addition to the damages, the lawyers want the court to order Green Fuel to issue a public apology to the students, their parents, and the community of Chisumbanje.

“We want Green Fuel to denounce the illegal conduct of its security guards as unacceptable, unjustified, and contrary to the respect owed to members of the community,” Sigauke and Tavagadza said.

The apology should be published in a newspaper circulating within Manicaland province and broadcast on Vemuganga Community Radio and Green Fuel’s social media platforms.

The lawyers believe that this will help to restore the dignity of the children and the community.

The lawsuit highlights the need for companies to ensure that their security personnel respect the rights and dignity of individuals, particularly children.

The case also underscores the importance of accountability and the need for companies to take responsibility for the actions of their employees.