3 testify in clinician’s alleged defilement case

Zomba Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday heard testimonies from three witnesses the State paraded to testify in a defilement case against a suspended St. Luke’s Hospital clinician.

The health worker is accused of defiling his 22-months-old child in January this year.

The first witness, the victim’s mother whose identity has been concealed  to protect the victim, told the court that she found the child crying uncontrollably after returning from work.

She said the child was pointing at her private parts as she cried.

The mother said the following day she reported the matter to Domasi Police Unit from where she was referred to Domasi Rural Hospital for medical examination whose results indicated that the baby was defiled.

She further said a week later she went to Zomba Central Hospital since the earlier medical report had no official stamp but the tests turned out negative.

Domasi Rural Hospital clinician Grace Namisiki was the second witness and told the court that the medical report was not stamped because it was issued on  a Saturday and the stamp was locked in the pharmacy until Monday.

Domasi Police Unit investigator Ali Maunde told the court that they arrested the suspect using a medical report that had no stamp, but based on the clinician’s signature.

In cross examination, defence lawyer Patrick Debwe asked Maunde why they accepted the complaint when the wife could lodge it   at Malosa Police Unit where they live.

Chief resident magistrate Austin Banda adjourned the case to March 25 this year when the State is expected to parade two more witnesses.