Gynaecologist in court for sexual abuse
Patience Nhamburo
Gynaecologist Dr Tinovimba Mhlanga who runs an in vitro fertilisation clinic in Harare has been arrested for allegedly sexually abusing a client. The 36-year-old appeared before a Harare court facing charges of aggravated indecent assault.
The state alleges that Dr Mhlanga abused a client who had visited his clinic to donate her egg to a couple which was having problems in conceiving. It is alleged that sometime this year Dr Mhlanga inserted his two right fingers into the complainant’s privates several times whilst fondling her breasts under the pretext of carrying out compulsory medical examinations on the complainant to check for infections in her discharge.
The court heard that on March 14 the complainant proceeded to Mhlanga’s workplace for medical examinations since she intended to donate her egg to a certain couple. It is alleged the doctor conducted some HIV tests before telling her to proceed to the examination room. Whilst in the room, she removed all her clothes awaiting an internal scan by Mhlanga.
It is alleged that Mhlanga went into the examination room and instructed the complainant to open her legs in a butterfly position for him to conduct the test and she complied. He then went on to insert his two fingers into her privates whilst the other hand was holding her abdomen.
The court heard that Mhlanga inserted his fingers inside the complainant’s privates several times before instructing her to step down from the bed and bend down, with him going ahead to insert his fingers inside her privates again whilst pressing himself on her.
The complainant asked the doctor on the process he was conducting on her and he told her he wanted to check if her discharge had no infection. He then went on to remove her bra and started fondling her breasts claiming that he was carrying out a breast examination whilst breathing heavily in her ear.
It is the state’s case that the complainant put on her clothes and left.
On March 15th, after the incident, the court heard, the complainant went to Harare hospital where she was examined and received counselling. A police report was made leading Dr Mhlanga’s arrest. Harare magistrate
Dennis Mangosi remanded him out of custody to the 27th of July.