A RANGE of blood and urine specimens extracted from Peter Magombeyi, the former Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors Association (ZHDA) president, who was allegedly abducted by state security last year showed no traces of poison, latest toxicological results show.
He was allegedly abducted at the height of nationwide
protests by junior doctors over poor remuneration in 2019.
Magombeyi was discovered 30 kilometers outside the capital,
a week after he went missing when he was allegedly abducted by suspected state
agents.
As he convalesced at a local private hospital, amid a heavy
presence of state security agents who sought to quiz the doctor, lawyers and
doctors representing him sought recourse from the High Court to have him
released so that he could seek medical attention outside the country.
Magombeyi claimed that he was tortured and electrocuted by
his alleged abductors, who snatched him in Budiriro.
While he was in hospital after he was discovered, five
doctors namely Trust Zaranyika, Aaron Musara, Andrew Mataruse, Walter Mangezi
and Shingirirai Meki signed an affidavit confirming that Magombeyi urgently
required further functional brain imaging and toxicological evaluation,
services which are not available in Zimbabwe.
The High Court granted the order, allowing Magombeyi to
seek medical assistance outside the country.
According to documents seen by the Zimbabwe Independent
this week, which include a range of toxicological tests conducted on blood and
urine samples extracted from Magombeyi, the medical examinations conducted in
Botswana show that the ex ZHDA leader had no traces of poison and alcohol in
his body.
The series of toxicological tests to determine whether
Magombeyi was poisoned during the time he was reportedly abducted were
conducted by Neo Maimela, Chief Forensic Scientific Officer employed by the
Botswana government.
According to an affidavit dated August 13, 2020, Maimela
highlighted that he is “…based at the Police Forensic Science Laboratory in
Gaborone,” and has been in the “Chemistry section of the laboratory since
December 2003 following completion of the Police Recruit Course at the Botswana
police College, Otse.”
The affidavit, seen by this newspaper this week,
underscored a series of tests conducted on blood and urine specimens drawn from
Magombeyi as part of an assessment to determine whether he was poisoned.
It reads: “I Neo Maimela make oath and state that I have
the following qualifications Master of Science in Forensic Toxicology (Medical
Science) from the University of Glasgow, Scotland, UK IN 2012. Bachelor of
Science degree (Chemistry and Environmental Science) form the University of
Botswana obtained in 2000.I am a Chief Forensic Scientific Officer employed by
the Government of the Republic of Botswana under the Ministry for State President.
My duties include analysis of drugs, cases of suspected poison, alcohol in
blood and maintenance of breathalysers.
“The laboratory records show that on 03/08/2020 at 15:36hrs
the exhibits described below were received from Mr Motsamai and registered as
T66/20 by Sub- Inspector Mapeo. On the 03/08/2020 I received the exhibits from
Sub-Inspector Mapeo for analysis.”
The exhibits which are described extensively in the
affidavit and analysed by Maimela were “contained in a transparent re-sealable
plastic bag labelled L/R 342/19 …it contained a white form which was labelled
Patient: Peter Gabriel Magombeyi, Age: 26 YRS (years)Address: Budiriro 2
Harare.”
According to the affidavit, the releasable bag labelled
342/19 contained “Two yellow capped transparent blood tubes each labelled Peter
Gabriel Magombey;DOB:20/6/93.The tubes contained some blood samples.
“A grey capped transparent blood tube labelled Magombeyi
Peter;20/6/93;25.PUT.The tube contained some blue sample.”
The aforementioned releasable bag also carried a “blue
capped transparent blood tube labelled Magombeyi Peter; 20/6/93,” and it also
contained some blood sample.”
Analysing these blood samples, as well as urine specimen
contained in a “green capped bottle labelled Date: 20/9/19;TIME:
12:55hrs;PATIENT:Magombeyi Peter; Specimen: Urine,” the forensic expert
extracted the samples using a method called “Solid Phase Extraction(SPE)
technique and analysed them using Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS.”
To determine the presence of ethanol in Magombeyi’s
samples, the forensic expert analysed the samples using the Headspace Gas
Chromatography technique.”
Following the range of tests carried out, the results
showed that there were no “…poisons, illicit drugs or controlled substances in
the blood samples.”
No ethanol was detected in all the samples. Subsequently,
Maimela concluded that “alcohol, illicit drugs and controlled substance were
not detected in all the samples.”
However, the urine samples showed the presence of
“Acetaminophen (commonly known as paracetamol) which is a drug used to relief
pain and reduce fever …”
The affidavit, seen by the Independent, was submitted under
oath to Principal Officer Tshephe Keewe on August 13.
Magombeyi resigned from his position as leader of ZHDA in
January citing “personal reasons” but committed to contribute towards the
upliftment of the welfare of medical practioners, amid a worsening economic
environment.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration has accused
Magombeyi for stage-managing the alleged abduction. Zimbabwe Independent
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