Africa-Press – Eswatini. In a rather disturbing incident, a male nurse has been arrested after being accused of sexually violating a treatment awaiting patient.
The heart-sinking occurrence took place at the emergency section of the Raleigh Fitkin Memorial Hospital (RFM), in Manzini, last Friday night, shortly after 8pm, while the woman’s husband was waiting outside the emergency room (ER).
Timothy Vilakati (53) of KaNdinda under chief Lukhwabitsi, was only apprehended on Tuesday around 11am while at his work place.
An investigation into the spine-chilling incident was launched after the survivor managed to confide with another nurse who accidentally walked into the emergency room on Friday, immediately after the man had carried out the dastardly act.
Apparently, the man had prematurely abandoned the act after he was disturbed by footsteps as his colleague approached the emergency ward.
It is suspected that the man might have used sedatives to drug his victim before sexually assaulting her. The patient had reportedly arrived at the hospital very weak and complaining of a severe headache on the Friday night.
She was attended by the male nurse, who allegedly placed her on a bed before he gave her a drip, otherwise known as a cannula, intravenous fluids or IV. Thereafter, he allegedly proceeded to sexually assaulting her. He was nearly caught in the act.
Details which reportedly emerged during a subsequent confession by the suspect were disturbing. It transpired that the man had allegedly violated the revered trust between a nurse and a patient on numerous previous occasions, as he would later tell sleuths during interrogation that it had become his habitual conduct to sleep with patients. His other alleged victims were personally known to him, it also transpired.
Prior to working at the RFM Hospital the nurse had been employed at a facility caring for terminally ill patients, where it is alleged that he also carried out similar horrendous acts.
Shocked investigators heard that the man mainly targeted weak and frail patients, who could not have the strength to either push him away or shout for help.
During the interrogation the suspect is said to have given a detailed chronology of events leading to him engaging in the shameful acts. He apparently blamed his evil deeds to frustration. He allegedly told interrogators that his frustration began when his wife kept on giving excuses for not affording him conjugal rights.
He said it happened several times until he decided to look elsewhere for sexual pleasure. As a person working in health facilities, it appears that the man saw his patients as easy prey. But he was always cautious when carrying out the acts.
He only targeted the weak looking patients who could not have the strength to protest against his actions.
The misconduct had apparently carried on undetected for a while until the last Friday incident, which eventually exposed his shenanigans.
Although the Friday incident happened behind closed curtains at the hospital’s emergency room, it became known after the patient narrated her ordeal to another nurse who happened to enter the enclosure shortly after she had been violated.
Taken aback, the other nurse is said to have confronted his colleague who initially denied the allegations. But the woman maintained her story to a point where her husband had to be involved.
Disturbingly, the man who had accompanied the woman to the health facility had been waiting outside the same room when his wife was being sexually violated.
Witnesses said the reactions of other patients and people who happened to be in the vicinity were very strong and the matter had to be reported to the police, who acted promptly.
Upon arrival, the police led by Acting Desk Officer Sergeant Vuma Mngometulu, are said to have conducted interviews and medical tests were later conducted on the survivor. But the investigators had to be satisfied by the outcome of the preliminary investigation before they could take action.
The suspect was eventually placed on detention four days later.
He was taken to the Manzini Police Station, where he was detained and subsequently charged with the offence of rape, under the relevant sections of the Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Act of 2018.
The details laid out in the charge sheet allege that: “on May13 at or near Nazarene (RFM) Hospital Emergency room (ER), in the district of Manzini, the accused person did intentionally have unlawful sexual act with (the 25-year-old complainant) without her consent.”
In addition to that it was highlighted that the suspect had exposed the survivor to sexually transmitted infections such as HIV and AIDS by not using protection. The court was drawn to the trauma which was inflicted by the abusive act.
Vilakati later made his initial appearance before acting Manzini Principal Magistrate Sindisile Zwane, who remanded the suspect in custody until June 6.
This was after he had been advised of his rights to legal representation and the public prosecutor Vusi Maziya made an application that the suspect be taken to the hospital for blood tests.
During the hearing the suspect was not asked to plead, but he was only advised that he could only move a bail application with the High Court.
His appearance happened shortly after Vilakati had recorded a confession with another judicial officer. Asked to shed some light on the possible causes of the suspect’s conduct, a psychologist said a comprehensive assessment was the only way that could assist in that regard. The expert said although many sex offenders were not mentally ill, their personal circumstances might inform their eventual behaviour.
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