Doctors arrested for attack on colleague

TWO newly qualified doctors were arrested on Friday for the attack on a colleague, Dr John Kamara, at the Windhoek Central Hospital premises in the early hours of Thursday morning.

Until late Friday, Kamara, who is from Sierra Leone, believed criminals had forced him off the road and assaulted him. A car with a Usakos registration number that chased Kamara was found to be owned by one of the interns accused of assaulting Kamara.Two of the three interns in the car said yesterday that the attack on their colleague was a case of mistaken identity.They declined to be named.The two, who were granted bail of N$1 000 each, are scheduled to appear in court today on charges of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.Kamara was fuming at the weekend.He claimed his attackers failed to immediately identify themselves when he showed them his medical doctor’s card.According to him, by late yesterday they had not attempted to explain or apologise for the incident.For his part, one of the interns said yesterday: “I told him I’m sorry [about] what happened – that it was mistaken identity.We are sorry about it”.Kamara was travelling to the Katutura State Hospital at about 03h00 to administer anaesthesia to a woman undergoing a Caesarean section at the time of the incident.Near the Windhoek Central Hospital, he saw a green Jetta with an Usakos registration number.The interns claim that shortly before Kamara’s car left the apartment building, which is close to that of the interns, at least three men were seen breaking into a colleague’s flat.The thieves allegedly made off with a computer, clothes and other valuables.The interns said they went to alert security guards at the main gate and decided to track down the suspects themselves.That was apparently when they spotted Kamara’s car.”When he picked up speed, drove onto the pavement, jumped out the car and started to run, he looked very suspicious,” said one of the accused.The intern driving the Usakos-registered car said the doctors had had enough of their apartments being broken into.Kamara said when the other vehicle emerged behind him, he accelerated.They chased and overtook him at the bridge near the psychiatric unit.He made a U-turn and headed for the Central hospital.They chased him back.Kamara said he lost control of the vehicle and hit a ditch.He jumped out of the car and ran.The three chased him on foot, forming a triangular net.The one who was running just behind him caught him, threw him to the ground and began to punch and kick him.Kamara claimed his colleagues beat him with a bar and threatened to shoot him dead.”By this time I was shouting: ‘I’m a doctor.Please don’t kill me, I am on call’,” he said, adding that “they were just asking why I was roaming around”.He later showed them his work identification card.He said they left without saying a word.Kamara did not identify them as colleagues.The three interns have been at the hospital only a month.They said they thought Kamara was trying to escape and that after “the scuffle” Kamara left the scene for the Katutura State Hospital.Acting Superintendent of the Windhoek Central Hospital Dr Andreas Obholzer yesterday maintained that the incident was a misunderstanding.But Kamara countered: “From the time that it happened, up to now [Sunday afternoon] the Acting Medical Superintendent and the doctors have not approached me to apologise.”They took the law in their own hands.They left me there lying down.They left me to die actually.I am grossly disappointed”.Obholzer said a siege mentality had developed at the doctors’ apartments because of lax security.”Security is a huge problem and people are very twitchy and jittery.They are at their wits’ end with these break-ins.[But] it doesn’t justify what happened,” he said.A car with a Usakos registration number that chased Kamara was found to be owned by one of the interns accused of assaulting Kamara. Two of the three interns in the car said yesterday that the attack on their colleague was a case of mistaken identity. They declined to be named. The two, who were granted bail of N$1 000 each, are scheduled to appear in court today on charges of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. Kamara was fuming at the weekend. He claimed his attackers failed to immediately identify themselves when he showed them his medical doctor’s card. According to him, by late yesterday they had not attempted to explain or apologise for the incident. For his part, one of the interns said yesterday: “I told him I’m sorry [about] what happened – that it was mistaken identity. We are sorry about it”. Kamara was travelling to the Katutura State Hospital at about 03h00 to administer anaesthesia to a woman undergoing a Caesarean section at the time of the incident. Near the Windhoek Central Hospital, he saw a green Jetta with an Usakos registration number. The interns claim that shortly before Kamara’s car left the apartment building, which is close to that of the interns, at least three men were seen breaking into a colleague’s flat. The thieves allegedly made off with a computer, clothes and other valuables. The interns said they went to alert security guards at the main gate and decided to track down the suspects themselves. That was apparently when they spotted Kamara’s car. “When he picked up speed, drove onto the pavement, jumped out the car and started to run, he looked very suspicious,” said one of the accused. The intern driving the Usakos-registered car said the doctors had had enough of their apartments being broken into. Kamara said when the other vehicle emerged behind him, he accelerated. They chased and overtook him at the bridge near the psychiatric unit. He made a U-turn and headed for the Central hospital. They chased him back. Kamara said he lost control of the vehicle and hit a ditch. He jumped out of the car and ran. The three chased him on foot, forming a triangular net. The one who was running just behind him caught him, threw him to the ground and began to punch and kick him. Kamara claimed his colleagues beat him with a bar and threatened to shoot him dead. “By this time I was shouting: ‘I’m a doctor. Please don’t kill me, I am on call’,” he said, adding that “they were just asking why I was roaming around”. He later showed them his work identification card. He said they left without saying a word. Kamara did not identify them as colleagues. The three interns have been at the hospital only a month. They said they thought Kamara was trying to escape and that after “the scuffle” Kamara left the scene for the Katutura State Hospital. Acting Superintendent of the Windhoek Central Hospital Dr Andreas Obholzer yesterday maintained that the incident was a misunderstanding. But Kamara countered: “From the time that it happened, up to now [Sunday afternoon] the Acting Medical Superintendent and the doctors have not approached me to apologise. “They took the law in their own hands. They left me there lying down. They left me to die actually. I am grossly disappointed”. Obholzer said a siege mentality had developed at the doctors’ apartments because of lax security. “Security is a huge problem and people are very twitchy and jittery. They are at their wits’ end with these break-ins. [But] it doesn’t justify what happened,” he said.