Zorena Jantze
THE ongoing court case of intern medical doctor Dennis Noa who stands accused of rape and attempted murder of an 18-year-old patient was today postponed to June after the prosecutor and the magistrate presiding over the case recused themselves.
Magistrate Leopoldt Hangalo said deducing from the surname of the accused if Dennis Iipumbu Noa is indeed the son of Anti-Corruption Commission director Paulus Noa he is unable to continue presiding over the case as Paulus Noa is a close friend of his.
Prosecutor Menencia Hinda also stated that she is in close contact with the complainant and as such cannot represent the State in the case.
The matter was moved to 14 June 2022 for fixing of trial dates, as well as for the State to get the docket to add the additional charge.
Noa is accused of raping an 18-year-old patient at the Katutura Intermediate Hospital on 11 April 2021.
It is further alleged that Noa took the patient from his room in the hospital’s head injury unit who was at the time immobile and unable to communicate after suffering a head injury in a car accident.
It was testified in bail proceedings that nursing staff found an unused condom in the patient’s bed and noticed he had injuries to his anal area after he had been returned to his room.
Noa, who was initially charged with one count of rape, was arraigned on an additional count of attempted murder by the prosecutor general in mid-May.
He is currently out on N$10 000 bail.
