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Prosper Dembedza Herald Correspondent
A specialist neurologist has appeared in court on allegations of blackmailing another senior specialist neurologist doctor accusing him of not being qualified.
Lennon Tonderai Gwaunza (40) was facing charges of contravening the Data Protection Act when he appeared before Harare Magistrate Mrs Apolonia Marutya who freed him on US$100 bail
As part of his bail conditions, Gwaunza was ordered not to interfere with State witnesses and not to post anything to do with the complainant.
Allegations are that, the complainant Andrew Mataruse practices clinical neurology and internal medicine as a specialist physician.
He is registered under the specialist physician register PHY 700207 with the Medical and Dental Practitioners of Zimbabwe.
Mataruse holds post graduate qualifications, Fellow of the Royal College of Physician (London) 2023, Fellow of the European Board of Neurology from the European Board of Neurology 2021, Specialist Certificate in Clinical Neurology from the Royal College Physician (UK 2019), Mater of Science Clinical
Neurology from the University of London (UCL 2017), Fellow College of Physician (ESCA) 2016, Master of Medicines (Zimbabwe) 2014, Diploma in Mental Health (Zimbabwe) 2010.
The court heard that on February 13, 2022, Gwaunza unlawfully and intentionally generated a data message using his electronic mail address namely [email protected] with the information that say,
“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,” the statement reads.
It is the State’s case that Gwaunza then unlawfully and intentionally shared the aforesaid electronic email to the following individuals through the following email addresses, Julian Mashingaidze (MDCPZ admin staff, julian’@mdpcz.co.zw, Dr. Tawanda Mushawarima: [email protected],
Josephine Mwatukuya (former MDPCZ registrar) midpcz(@mdpcz.co.zw, Bishop Manyangadze (MDPCZ admin staff), [email protected] and Dr. Andrew Mataruse (the complainant): [email protected].
It is alleged that Gwaunza’s criminal intention was to intimidate and harass the complainant into desisting from clinical neurology at his surgery in Milton Park, Harare.
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