Zvikomborero Parafini
A MEDICAL doctor, Lenon Gwaunza, has been convicted of making a false statement and harrasing a fellow doctor online claiming that he was not a qualified clinical neurologist.
Gwaunza was found guilty of cyber-bullying and harassment after he sent an e-mail, copied to other doctors saying Mataruse was not a qualified clinical neurologist.
He apologized stating that it was not his intention to harass the complainant, Dr Andrew Mataruse.
He was remanded out of custody to December 20 for sentencing.
The State said the generated message by Gwaunza stated, “I was volunteering at Pari and I have from immediate effect relinquished that role, so I will be unable to supervise Dr.
Mushawarima. Secondly Dr. Mushawarima is a fully fledged neurologist who doesn’t need to be supervised by myself or by Dr. Mataruse who isn’t a clinically-trained neurologist.
“However council feels it’s in Dr. Mushawarima’s interest that he is supervised by someone who has never seen the entrance of a neurology training centre.
“Please, by all means, go ahead. I will not be involved in that circus,” the statement reads.
The State in its case argued that the statements by Gwaunza were false and his conduct was criminal and intended to degrade Mataruse by questioning his qualifications despite having knowledge that the qualifications were obtained from reputable international universities.
Mataruse is a specialist physician in Zimbabwe and has many post graduate qualifications including MMed Medicine(UZ), Fellow College of Physicians (Eastern Central Southern Africa College of Physicians), Master of Science in Clinical Neurology (University College London), Specialist Certificate in Clinical neurology (Royal College of Physicians) and Fellow of the European Board Neurology.
He supervised Gwaunza during his senior registrar year of 2020 after being appointed to do so by the Medical and Dental Profession Council of Zimbabwe.
The presiding magistrate, in the judgment, said Gwaunza does not deny making the statement which was found to be false.
The court said Gwaunza knew that his statement was false because he was supervised by Mataruse and also had knowledge of his qualifications.
The court said only the council for medical practitioners is qualified to state whether one is qualified, registered or not.
In mitigation, Gwaunza told the court that he is serving the community by engaging in volunteer specialist work at Mpilo Hospital and sending him to prison would deprive the patients of his service.