Appearing in court on Thursday, State prosecutor, Felix Senzani told the court that the five assaulted the nurse, Finias Namwiyo on 8 October 2023 when they came at the hospital with a patient involved in a road accident.

Senzani argued that the actions of the suspects instilled fear to the medical personnel at the district hospital, asking the court to mete out a custodial sentence.

He demonstrated that following the assault, the nurse sustained soft tissue injuries and minor cuts including generalized pounding headache.

The five convicts asked for leniency being first offenders and for pleading guilty to the offense.

However, the magistrate sided with the state on grounds that hospitals have grievance redress mechanisms like hospital ombudsman, where they could have lodged a complaint if they were not satisfied with the treatment in their relation.

The court said they however disregarded this and went on to assault the nurse on duty.

Magistrate Chinangwa then ordered that the five men to spend 20 months in jail, or pay K50, 000 each for a suspended sentence, K40, 000 of which will compensate the nurse.

The convicts are Davie Zulu Mathews aged 28, Lifled Zombe, 47, Weston Changadeya 28, Davie Daniel Zulu, 32 and a Gift Changadeya, 40 all from Senior chief Nchiramwera in Thyolo.