Doctor should be struck off

It was evident that he had been severely tortured after being kidnapped by the CIO. The magistrate ordered that he receive urgent medical attention, which had been denied him for several days.

We are shocked and appalled that a registered medical practitioner, a Dr Dhobhi, who is in charge of the clinic at the Harare Remand Prison, has refused to treat Gwezere.

For a doctor, who took the Hippocratic Oath to save lives and relieve suffering, to behave so callously, is horrifying in the extreme.

We understand that Dhobhi has, since 2007, been part of the cabal of prison officers who have been denying tortured prisoners access to media attention. His name was mentioned in 2007 when he was responsible for ordering the removal from the Avenues Clinic in Harare back into prison of several MDC officials and a photo-journalist who had been badly tortured.

We concur with the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights publication, The Monitor, which expresses concern at the continued complicity of state doctors in torture, cruel and other inhumane and degrading treatment or punishment of accused persons.

This matter should be referred to the Zimbabwe Medical Association for their urgent attention. So-called doctors, who have chosen to behave like thugs inflicting pain and suffering rather working to relieve it should surely be struck off the Medical Register.

Gwezeres defence lawyer, Alec Muchadehama, with the consent of the prosecutor, appealed to the presiding magistrate to order prison officials to allow private medical practitioners to attend to him. His left leg was becoming septic, he could hardly walk, his face was swollen and he was evidently in severe pain.

Despite all this, and the fact that it is un-procedural, the prison officials deemed it necessary for him to appear in court in leg irons and hand cuffs.

Furthermore, we feel that the international community should show its abhorrence at Dhobhis behaviour by adding his name to the list of individuals against whom targeted measures are applied.

Word :

Now to Him Who, by the action of His power that is at work within us, is able to[carry out His purpose and do superabundantly, far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think, infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams; to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever. – Ephesians 3 vs 20 (Amplified version)