Photo: RNZ / Moera Tuilaepa-Taylor
A Vanuatu police officer has been ordered to pay US$36,000 in damages to the man he assaulted in 2015.
The man was a student at Santo's Matevulu College when he was slapped by an officer so hard his ear drums perforated.
The student was among several students detained after they were accused of damaging school property.
The student sought the damages for the loss of hearing and employment prospects, saying he couldn't carry on his schooling after the assault.