IT should be known that the police never allowed anyone to see the teenager who was tortured. It is rumoured that the boy was in custody at the Leonora Police Station where he was not only incarcerated but hidden away at the Vreed-en-Hoop Police Station in severe pain. The police in taking the boy to Vreed-en-Hoop had to pass the doctor’s residence just on the side of the public road. They did not ask for help then. Why is this so? I am not blaming the whole police force, only the ranks involved.
Anyone could clearly see that the police used the good doctor to their advantage.
If he had refused to attend to the lad because of the reluctance of the police to uncover his head, that would have been worse. No one can compel the police in a Police Station. At that time in the night, they can do as they please. Whether the cover was removed or not was irrelevant because the place was dimly lit in any case.
In his secondment as the police surgeon, he does not have a rank in the Police Force, and therefore cannot give orders in a police station. The main point is that the doctor prescribed treatment for painless distress and possible infection and made a referral to the hospital. He most certainly does not deserve the proposed suspension meted out by the Medical Council or the strident criticisms of some of the media.
I think the Minister of Health has made up his mind that Dr Chand should be exonerated on such flimsy evidence. I only hope the members of the Medical Council do likewise without any delay.