A 16-year-old boy in Ndola has been placed on 12 months’ probation for punching a teacher in the face and inflicting actual bodily harm.

The boy was arrested last month and remanded in custody after he unleashed a fateful punch on Paul Bwalya, a teacher at Kansenshi Combined School.

He was charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

Mr Bwalya sustained a wound above the eye after a thunderous blow from the rampaging boy during school athletics competition on February 22, 2019.

The teacher found the boy smoking in a group of others and when he confronted him, he punched him in the face and fled. He was however apprehended and handed over to the police.

Magistrate Ben Akende made the order after a social welfare officer submitted that the boy was a first offender and that he had readily admitted the charge, showing remorse for the offence he had committed.

The social welfare report indicated that the juvenile might have committed the offence out of peer pressure and without realising the consequences that would follow.

His guardian, the report indicated, promised to provide counsel and guidance so that the boy could reform and become a better person.

The report further indicated that it would also the responsibility of the social welfare to see that the juvenile reforms into a better citizen.

In mitigation, the boy said he was sorry for committing the offence and asked for forgiveness from the court and the complainant.

He said all he wanted was to go back to school and continue learning.

The Juvenile said he had been in custody for one month and would not dare commit such an offence ever after such a depressing experience.

The juvenile’s guardian pleaded that the boy should be pardoned so that he could get back to school as he was in grade nine and preparing for his examination at Northrise Basic School.

In making the order, Mr Akende placed the boy on 12 months’ probation, during which time he would be home and supervised by the social welfare department.