Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Werner Menges
Published on 2024-02-23 07:52:51
Former trainee medical doctor Dennis Noa was sentenced to eight years in prison for raping a vulnerable patient at Katutura Intermediate Hospital in April 2011. Magistrate Victor Nyazo expressed his dismay that Noa, who had a duty of care towards the patient, took advantage of his position to satisfy his own sexual desires. The patient was not only in a vegetative state and unable to communicate, walk, or feed himself, but he was also in a hospital – a place of hope, care, and recovery for ordinary people.
Nyazo quoted Florence Nightingale, stating that a hospital’s primary goal is to do no harm to the sick. Despite losing his medical career due to the rape conviction, Nyazo believed that imposing the minimum sentence of five years, as prescribed in the Combating of Rape Act, was necessary considering the gravity of the crime. The aggravating circumstances outweighed Noa’s personal circumstances, warranting a sentence beyond the minimum term.
Noa, who was an intern doctor at the hospital, was accused of raping an 18-year-old patient who was being treated for a severe head injury sustained in a road accident. Throughout the trial, Noa maintained his innocence, claiming he handed the patient to a porter for occupational therapy. However, Nyazo found Noa guilty based on the lack of evidence supporting his version of events.
The magistrate highlighted that no one could verify the existence of the porter mentioned by Noa, and the hospital’s occupational therapists were not working on the day in question. This led Nyazo to conclude that Noa had the opportunity to sexually assault the patient and was the only likely perpetrator. Nyazo’s decision to sentence Noa to eight years in prison was supported by the gravity of the crime and the vulnerability of the victim.
In conclusion, the case of Dennis Noa serves as a reminder of the importance of upholding ethics and professionalism in the medical profession. The trust placed in doctors by patients must not be abused for personal gain or gratification. Justice was served in this instance, but it also serves as a call to action for hospitals and medical institutions to ensure the safety and well-being of all patients under their care. The court’s decision to hand down a significant sentence reflects the severity of Noa’s actions and the need to protect vulnerable individuals in healthcare settings.
Read the original article on The Namibian
