• No indigenous pathologist since 1980

• “this means many murderers go scot-free as there are no thorough investigations made for murder or sudden death cases…”
• Pathologists cannot investigate the finer details of such deaths and crimes.

Zimbabwe has not had an indigenous pathologist since 1980, the director of Pathology in the Ministry of Health and Child Care, Dr Maxwell Hove has said.

He said local doctors fear being grilled in courts hence they are reluctant to take forensic pathology. “We don’t have a Zimbabwean forensic pathologist because of the adversarial nature of the legal system. The lack of forensic pathologists has seen us relying on expatriates since 1980 who unfortunately are not obligated to appear before a court and give evidence,” said Dr Hove.

He narrated how foreign forensic pathologists from Namibia and Cuba have been frustrated by the local court procedures in giving evidence.

He said Cuba had to revisit its agreement with the Zim government after being frustrated in court during the inquest of the late General Solomon Mujuru, with the country now ensuring its nationals working in Zimbabwe are not forced to testify.

Hove was speaking during the Coroner’s Draft Bill stakeholders meeting.

He added saying, “this means many murderers go scot free as there are no thorough investigations made for murder or sudden death cases. We’re also disadvantaged because of the rudimentary infrastructure and lack of radiological services and state of the art pathology laboratory tests.”

Hove further made the alarming revelation: “Currently under the available legislation, doctors can only go as far as establishing the cause of death but cannot investigate the finer details of such deaths and crimes. Doctors have highlighted their interest in tackling forensic pathology but the legal framework is still not in place to protect them.”