A CLINICAL officer at the University of Zambia clinic has testified how a female student was taken to the facility while crying after she was allegedly indecently assaulted by a lecturer at the institution.

This is a matter in which Austin Mbozi, a lecturer at the University, is charged with indecent assault on females.

Allegations are that Mbozi, 51, on September 28, 2020, in Lusaka, unlawfully and indecently assaulted a female student.

He, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

When the matter came up for trial before Magistrate Felix Kaoma, Friday, Charles Mwanza, 43, testified that he was on night duty on September 28, last year, when a patient was taken to the clinic, crying.

“On the 28th of September 2020, I was doing my night duty which starts from 17:00 hours and ends the following day at 08:00 hours. On that particular day between 19 and 20:00 hours, I heard footsteps and a patient was taken into room four. And since I was in another room, I decided to go and check what was happening in room four. When I entered the room, there was a girl seated on the couch and she was crying,” he said.

“I tried to find out what the problem was, she could not respond as she was still crying. I asked her to calm down so that I can get the information to help her. Whilst waiting, two ladies who had brought her came by the door of the screening room. They told me that they are ones who brought her. These two ladies appeared to be students of the University of Zambia. They told me that they found her crying by a tree within UNZA premises hence they decided to bring her to the clinic as they thought she was not well.”

He testified that after a few minutes, the girl stabilised and when asked what the problem was, she said that someone wanted to have sex with her without her consent.

“She told me that around 15:00 hours as she was coming to school from Kalingalinga, she met a man who started a conversation with her. She said he promised her employment and whilst they were discussing about the same employment issue, they reached UNZA where he showed her his office and asked her to come back after 17:00 hours so that they can continue the discussion,” Mwanza said.

“Around 17:00 hours, the man called her and asked her to come over, which she did. Whilst in the office, she said he started behaving weird. When I asked her what she meant, she told me that he started touching her and caressing her. She said she was touched at the back, around the neck. Then I asked her if she had any sexual intercourse with him, then she said no. I also asked her if he took off her clothes, she said no.”

Mwanza said he then decided to examine her by inspecting her clothes which were intact, her hair was kempt and he then went ahead to check her vital signs, the BP, the temperature and the pulse, which were within normal range.

He told the court that he decided that she would need psychosocial counseling.

“We said she should come the following day to see the counselor,” the witness testified.

Mwanza told the court that he also encouraged her to report the matter to the police through UNZA security.

During cross examination, Mwanza said he could not know if the patient at that time told him a lie or not, but he had a duty to testify what he was told by the victim at that particular time.

The matter was then adjourned to November 17, 2021.