By Staff Reporter
A LOCAL medical doctor has been found guilty of cyber-bullying after he wrote emails to several of his colleagues describing a top Harare doctor as an unqualified neurologist.
Dr. Lenon Gwaunza now awaits sentencing on December 20.
He went through a full trial before Harare Magistrate Batsiraishe Zishiri, who however remanded him out of custody pending sentencing.
The complainant is Dr Andrew Mataruse, a renowned doctor, who is a specialist physician holding numerous postgraduate qualifications including MMed Medicine (UZ), Fellow of the 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 of Neurology.
Gwaunza apologised for his actions and told the court it was not his intention to humiliate Mataruse.
In mitigation, Gwaunza informed the court that he serves the community by volunteering at Mpilo Hospital and argued that imprisonment would deprive patients of his services.
The State established that Gwaunza sent an email copied to other doctors, asserting that Mataruse was not a qualified clinical neurologist.
The email read, “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 State proved that Gwaunza’s statements were false.
Prosecutors also said his actions were criminal, aiming to undermine Mataruse by questioning his qualifications, despite being aware that Mataruse’s credentials were from reputable international institutions.
Mataruse had supervised Gwaunza during his senior registrar year in 2020, a role assigned to him by the Medical and Dental Profession Council of Zimbabwe.
Given this background, the court frowned upon Gwaunza’s actions, noting that the doctor was familiar with Mataruse’s qualifications.
The court emphasised that only the council for medical practitioners is authorized to determine whether a practitioner is qualified or registered.
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