HARARE
–
A
Harare
doctor
has
been
convicted
for
cyberbullying
after
he
sent
an
email
to
his
work
colleague
he
labelled
an
unqualified
neurologist.
Lenon
Gwaunza
was
found
guilty
by
a
Harare
magistrate
Batsiraishe
Zishiri
after
a
full
trial.
He
was
remanded
out
of
custody
and
now
awaits
sentencing
on
December
20.
Gwaunza
apologised
for
what
he
did
to
his
colleague,
a
Dr
Andrew
Mataruse
stating
that
it
was
not
his
intention
to
bully
him.
The
state
proved
that
Gwaunza
sent
an
e-mail,
copied
to
other
doctors
saying
Mataruse
was
not
a
qualified
clinical
neurologist.
The
State
said
the
generated
message
by
Gwaunza
stated,
“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
said
the
statement
was
false
and
his
conduct
was
criminal
and
intended
to
degrade
Mataruse
by
questioning
his
credentials
despite
having
knowledge
that
the
qualifications
were
obtained
from
reputable
international
universities.
Mataruse
is
one
of
the
specialist
physicians
in
Zimbabwe
and
has
many
post-graduate
qualifications
including
MMed
Medicine(UZ),
Fellow
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
Neurology.
He
supervised
Gwaunza
during
his
senior
registrar
year
of
2020
after
being
appointed
to
do
so
by
the
Medical
and
Dental
Profession
Council
of
Zimbabwe.
In
his
ruling,
the
magistrate
said
Gwaunza
does
not
deny
making
the
statement
which
was
found
to
be
false.
The
court
said
Gwaunza
knew
that
his
statement
was
false
because
he
was
supervised
by
Mataruse
and
also
had
knowledge
of
his
qualifications.
The
court
also
said
only
the
council
for
medical
practitioners
was
qualified
to
state
whether
one
is
trained,
registered
or
not.
In
mitigation,
Gwaunza
told
the
court
that
he
is
serving
the
community
by
engaging
in
volunteer
specialist
work
at
Mpilo
Hospital
and
sending
him
to
prison
would
deprive
the
patients
of
his
service.
Jordan