By Own Correspondent| A Harare stepmother (identity withheld) reportedly whipped her 5 year old step son leaving him severely scarred for messing his pants.

A whistleblower who saw the minor with visible marks of whipping all over his body raised alarm to the school authorities where the minor attends but it could not be established how the school handled the case.

However, the stepmother reportedly visited the school after getting wind that the minor had told neighbours about his predicament and reportedly notified them that she was transferring the little boy to an unknown Marondera school.

According to the whistleblower, this was not the first time that the boy had shown visible marks of whipping.

“I saw him with an injured hand a couple of weeks ago and he said he had been beaten by the same stepmother with an umbrella,” said the whistleblower.

In an interview with ZimEye, the father of the child (name withheld) professed ignorance over the matter saying because his job involves a lot of travelling, he was not aware that his new wife was physically abusing his son.

He said he was not aware of his son’s predicament revealing that he was now heading back home to assist his son.

“I do a lot of travelling because i am a fabricator. I am currently in Chivhu and was supposed to proceed to another town for another job but I have to come back to see what is going on.

I am not aware of anything and i am thinking that all is well. This is news that you are telling me,” said the father of the minor.

He confirmed that he separated with the mother of the child who now stays in Kwekwe.

“I separated with my son’s mother and yes i left him with his stepmother, who also has a child of her own. I am not aware that this is what is happening,” he added.

Efforts to get a comment from the school (name withheld) where the boy learns or the stepmother were futile by the time of going to print.