A senior clinical officer at Chipata Level One Hospital has told the Lusaka Magistrates’ Court that the 27 year-old man accused of impersonating a medical doctor did not have a letter of attachment or Identity Card when he allegedly screened patients at the medical facility.

This is the matter in which Collins Mavunga of Lusaka’s Zani Muone Compound is charged with impersonating a medical public officer.

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.

And when the matter came up for continuation of trial before magistrate Beauty Malupenga, Friday, a senior clinical officer at the same hospital,Borniface Muzatani, told the court that on the material day, he saw two security guards in the company of Mavunga.

He said the two guards approached him and asked if Mavunga had authority to screen patients and he told them that they did not have students on attachments at that moment.

Muzatani said he thereafter referred the two security guards to the matron, a Ms Mwambazi.

“In response, I told them that at the moment, we do not have students on attachments and I referred them to the matron, Ms Mwambazi. When Ms Mwambazi asked Mavunga who he was and whether he had authority to screen patients, the suspect said he was a fourth year medical student at the University of Zambia (UNZA) Ridgeway campus,” he said.

Muzatani told the court that the accused person had not letter of attachment or Identity Card from Ridgway campus, the institution where he claimed to be studying from.

He said later on, another doctor, Elizabeth Mwape, joined the interrogation.

“At this point, Dr Mwape informed Ms Mwambazi that Mavunga had told her that he was a seventh year student doctor at Ridgeway campus,” Muzatani narrated.

He said after learning about Mavunga’s conflicting statements, he decided to go to Ridge way campus to verify whether indeed Mavunga was a student at the institution.

Muzatani said Mavunga gave the dean of students at the institution his alleged computer number to verify if he was registered student but nothing was found about him.

“The dean checked in the system but nothing came out,” he said.

Muzatani further said the dean of students concluded that the man was not a student at the University and the matter was reported to Chipata Police post.

He told the court that the accused was also charging patients.

In cross examination, Mavunga asked the witness if he had evidence that he used to charge patients, and in response Muzatani said his name was mentioned.

The matter comes up on March 22, for continued trial.