adminThubelihle Mabhena Court Reporter
A THIEF pretending to be a doctor was exposed by the way he touched a woman’s private parts during an “examination”. David Starky, 33, of Montrose suburb, sneaked into a women’s ward at United Bulawayo Hospitals intending to steal from patients. When caught, he tried to buy his freedom by pretending to be the duty doctor.
Starky took his act a bit too far when he started feeling his victim’s private parts as an examination procedure.
Starky, it is said, had earlier stolen a cellphone from the 42-year-old Gwanda woman.
The woman was alone in the ward when Starky entered.
When she woke up, she found Starky rummaging through her bags and the man quickly told her he was a doctor doing routine checks.
She then showed him her wound which was around her genital area and Starky touched the wound without gloves.
This led the woman to suspect that the man was a fake and she raised alarm with the nurses on duty.
Starky appeared yesterday before Bulawayo provincial magistrate Sibongile Msipa-Marondedze facing charges of theft and indecent assault.
He pleaded guilty to both counts and was remanded to January 26 on $50 bail.
“Your worship, may you be lenient with me. I can’t afford to pay the $50 bail. I have already paid $200 for my wife who is admitted at UBH for an operation,” begged Starky.
The magistrate would have none of it.
“You shouldn’t go around touching other women’s private parts. Why didn’t you touch your wife’s private parts instead of another woman who is ill?” snapped Msipa-Marondedze.
She ordered Starky to be taken to remand prison if he failed to pay the $50 bail.
Prosecuting, Adelaide Chikweshe told the court that on January 18, at around 3AM, the woman was admitted at UBH’s Pettigrew ward.
She said the complainant was alone in the ward sleeping while her cellphone was on her pillow.
The state alleged Starky stole the cellphone.
When she woke up, Starky was busy searching her bags, the court heard.
The Nokia cellphone valued at $80 was recovered.
Online Reporter