He kicks boy to death for not doing homework

He kicks boy to death for not doing homework
December 28, 2008

AN Egyptian court jailed a teacher on Thursday for six years for kicking a schoolboy to death after he failed to do his homework, a court official said.


PICTURE: REUTERS

Maths teacher Haitham Nabil Abdel Hamid (left) was convicted of manslaughter for kicking 11-year-old Islam Amro Badr in the stomach in the Mediterranean port city of Alexandria in October.

The boy fainted and died shortly after in hospital. Several students said they saw Abdel Hamid kick Badr, reported AFP.

A coroner said Badr had four broken ribs, Egypt's Al-Masry al-Yom newspaper reported earlier this week, amid emotional scenes in court from the boy's family.

Two of his classmates also testified, said Daily News Egypt.

One said: 'Mr Haitham asked all of those who didn't do their homework to leave the classroom and stretch out our hands so he can hit us with a T-shaped ruler.

Angry
'When he was about to hit Islam the third time, he missed and hit himself instead so he got angry at Islam and kicked him in the stomach, and in his chest below his left shoulder,' the boy said.

'And as Islam headed into the classroom after Mr Haitham asked us all to go back inside... (he) hit him again in his back. As he approached his seat he fell on his back, his eyes were open and he wasn't moving,' the boy said, crying.

The teacher's lawyer was quoted as saying: 'Hitting (a child) is not banned in schools and my client did not break the law.'

No representatives from the Education Ministry were present during the hearing although the victim's lawyers had subpoenaed three officials from the ministry for questioning, the newspaper said.

'The ministry of education is mocking the judicial system, Your Honour,' said one of the victim's lawyers in his final statement.

'No ministry officials responded to our request to attend the hearing...' he said.

Source: http://newpaper.asia1.com.sg/news/story/0,4136,188003,00.html?