Probe for doctor too

Tired to see rape victims

A SENIOR Eastern Cape doctor is under investigation for allegedly refusing to treat two rape victims, aged six and 23, because he was said to be too tired.

Department of health spokesman Sizwe Kupelo said “it is alleged he (the doctor) cited exhaustion for not being able to see the victims ”.

The six-year-old victim was forced to wait for nine hours, and the 23-year-old mentally-challenged victim endured a six-hour wait before they were seen by another doctor reporting for night shift at St Barnabas Hospital in Ntlaza near Libode on Thursday.

Kupelo said: “The criminal investigation is not affected because a medical examination was carried out by a night duty officer, but subjecting an already traumatised victim to such humiliation is condemned.”

Two police officers, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said they arrived at the hospital at 11am with the six-year-old to get a J88 (medical report) which would be part of the case evidence.

The officers said the 23-year-old victim from Ntlaza in Libode arrived at the hospital three hours later, at 2pm, with police in another van. Both victims were eventually seen by doctors at about 8pm.

The officers said they alerted the health authorities.

The officers said after waiting for hours they sent a matron to call the doctor from the main hospital building because they were worried that crucial DNA evidence would be compromised if it was not collected at the right time.

“The rape of the six-year-old was still recent and the suspect is known. He could have been easily freed if we did not get the medical evidence, ” said the officer.