MIRROR REPORTER

MASVINGO – Regional Magistrate Bishard Chineka has discharged Masvingo Provincial Hospital Medical Superintend Dr Noel Ralph Zulu who was facing a culpable homicide charge after leaving a 30cmx30cm gauze inside a patient’s stomach.
Dr Zulu was discharged this afternoon following an application for discharge at the end of the State case made by his lawyer Oliver Marwa last Wednesday.
The State has said that Gladys Sibanda’s death was a result of the gauze left in her abdomen. A surgical gauze, also known as an abdominal swab is a piece of cloth used to absorb blood and other fluids during surgery.
Magistrate Chineka discharged Zulu after Dr Godfrey Zimbwa who performed the post-mortem on Gladys Sibanda concluded that the cause of her death was liver cirrhosis.
The court also said that there is insufficient evidence to conclude that Sibanda’s death was caused by the gauze left in her abdomen in 2015. She died in 2023 whilst attending a Zanu PF rally in Zaka. The court heard that apart from a swollen abdomen, Sibanda was physically well and performed household tasks at her homestead.
One is discharged at the end of the State case should prosecution fail to provide evidence that warrants an accused person to go into a defense case.
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