By Bulawayo Correspondent

TWO Mpilo Central Hospital nurses in Bulawayo Friday appeared before a local magistrate facing culpable homicide charges for allegedly negligently causing the death of a new born baby.

Sekesai Museka, 41, and Ntombizodwa Ndlovu, 36, appeared before magistrate Lizwe Jamela for ignoring Purity Dube’s pleas for help while she was in labour in the early hours of November 20 last year.

Appearing for the State, Denmark Chihombe told the court that on the day in question, Dube suffered labour pains and called out to Museka and Ndlovu for assistance, but the two allegedly failed to respond to her pleas.

After Dube delivered the baby girl on her own, Chihombe told the court that the baby slipped from the bed through the delivery blood hole of the maternity bed and hit the floor.

The prosecutor further told the court that a few minutes after the delivery, Museka and Ndlovu rushed into the room and took the baby to the resuscitation room where they failed to save the infant.

“At around 5am, the baby was transferred to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and at around 10pm on the same day, the baby died,” said Chihombe.

A post-mortem report produced in court revealed that the baby died of intracranial haemorrhage and head injuries.

Museka and Ndlovu pleaded not guilty to the charge and Jamela remanded them out of custody to March 26 on free bail.