Lusaka man in court for impersonating a medical doctor

Medical doctor

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A 27 year-old man of Lusaka’s Zani Muone Compound has been dragged to court for pretending to be a medical doctor at Lusaka’s Chipata Level one Hospital.

And a medical doctor at the said hospital has told the Lusaka Magistrates’ Court that the accused person was actually charging and collecting medical fees from patients.

This is the matter in which Collins Mavunga, an unemployed resident, is charged with one count impersonating a public officer contrary to section 102 of the penalty code chapter 87 of the Laws of Zambia.

It is alleged that on March 14, 2018 in Lusaka, Mavunga falsely represented himself at Chipata Level one Hospital as a person employed by the government of Zambia namely a doctor, when in fact not.

He had pleaded not guilty before magistrate Beauty Malupenga and was granted bail of K15,000 in his own recognisance, with two working sureties bound in the like sum.

And when the matter came up for trial, Thursday, Dr Elizabeth Mwape, 45, told the court that on the material day, she saw Mavunga getting a medical report to be issued to a patient.

She said Mavunga went on to charge patients medical fees and collected money.

She said she asked a fellow doctor on Mavungo’s status at the hospital and if anyone knew him, but was told that no one knew him.

“By that time there were rumours that a person at the Chipata hospital was impersonating as a doctor from Levy Mwanawasa Hospital,” Dr Mwape narrated.

She narrated that she later asked Mavunga who he was and he told her that he was a medical student at Ridgeway campus studying surgery, in his 7th year.

Dr Mwape said when she made an inquiry from the school to find out if there was a medical student attached to the hospital by the names of Collins Mavunga, she was told that there was no student with such names.

She then asked security personnels to arrest him.

Meanwhile, Brenda Ngoma, 42, a security guard at Chipata Level One Hospital told the court that on the material day she saw Mavunga getting a stethoscope and put it around his neck.

Ngoma said Mavunga then went to the cashier desk at the hospital where he introduced himself as a student doctor in his fourth year from Levy Mwanawasa General Hospital.

The matter has been adjourned to February 22, 2019 for continued trial.