A MAN who was masquerading as a doctor in Chazanga Township has been jailed three years for injecting a woman with a purported contraceptive which later caused her arm to be amputated.
The Judgement is supposed to be a wakeup call for many purported doctors masquerading to be professionals, especially in townships, most of who offer services to vulnerable women.
The Lusaka Magistrate’s Court jailed
Shadrick Ng’andu, 58, after finding him guilty of the offense of maliciously administering poison with intent to harm.
On August 12, 2022, Ng’andu, alias Dr HH, administered a noxious drug on Nancy Musonda, causing her grievous bodily harm.
He had pleaded not guilty before Lusaka Magistrate Crispin Hampungani and several witnesses were called to testify against him.
In her testimony, the victim, Nancy Musonda, testified how she experienced pain in her arm, which was later amputated.
She said this was after the accused injected her with a contraceptive worth K20 she bought from him.
The woman said the medicine was purported to be a contraception administered to her by the accused.
Ms Musonda also narrated that after the accused injected her, the side effects of the drug caused her child to suffer diarrhoea after being breastfed.
In his verdict, magistrate Hampungani said according to the evidence, Ng’andu admitted injecting the victim, except that it was done at the will of the victim.
“Losing a limb or arm as a result of an accused’s actions intentionally or not amounts squarely to grievous harm,” he said. Mr Hampungani said.
“The evidence on record proves grievous bodily harm contrary to section 229 of the Penal Code Cap 87 of the Laws of Zambia squarely and fails to [prove] malicious administration of noxious poison contrary to section 231 of the Penal Code.
In his final analysis, the magistrate found that the prosecution have lamentably failed to prove the offence of maliciously administering poison with intent to harm but have proved a lesser offence of grievous harm beyond reasonable doubt.
“I, therefore, find the accused guilty of causing grievous harm.”
But the victim told journalist she was not happy with the verdict because she expected a stiffer punishment since she has not been compensated for her permanent injury.
(Mwebantu, Tuesday, 15th August, 2023)