A Harare-based doctor, Lenon Gwaunza, has been convicted of cyberbullying after sending an email to a colleague, Dr. Andrew Mataruse, in which he labelled him an unqualified neurologist, reported ZimLive.
Gwaunza was convicted following a trial presided over by Magistrate Batsiraishe Zishiri. He has been remanded out of custody and is awaiting sentencing on December 20.
Gwaunza apologized for his actions, saying he did not intend to bully Mataruse. The state successfully demonstrated that Gwaunza’s email, which was copied to other doctors, falsely claimed Mataruse was not a qualified clinical neurologist. The message 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.
Mataruse 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.
Mataruse supervised Gwaunza during his senior registrar year in 2020, a role assigned by the Medical and Dental Profession Council of Zimbabwe.
In her ruling, the magistrate noted that Gwaunza did not dispute making the false statement about Mataruse’s qualifications.
The court emphasized that Gwaunza was aware of Mataruse’s qualifications due to their supervisory relationship and stated that only the council could determine a practitioner’s training and registration status.
In mitigation, Gwaunza argue that he is serving the community by engaging in volunteer specialist work at Mpilo Hospital and imprisonment would hinder his ability to serve the community.
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