Man runs amok at hospital after uncle’s death

MASERU – A 25-year-old man ran amok, stabbed a patient and damaged property at Scot Hospital on Sunday night after the death of his uncle who had been admitted months earlier.

Matšepo Molibeli, the hospital manager, said the incident happened at around 10pm.

She said staff reported that the man who was wearing a balaclava arrived at the hospital pretending to be a patient.

Molibeli said the man then suddenly pulled a knife on the nurse who was about to help him.

“All he could say was that he wanted to kill all the nurses at the hospital as they had let his uncle die,” Molibeli said.

“He accused us of killing his uncle and wanted revenge.”

She said the man argued that his uncle who had been admitted at the hospital for six months had died on Saturday.

Molibeli said the nurse was rescued by a patient she had just assisted.

She then hid in the toilet and raised an alarm on the staff WhatsApp group.

The man then started destroying equipment.

He kicked and smashed X-ray machines as he demanded that doctors and nurses come out.

“I want you only you,” said the man according to Molibeli.

He then broke the theatre’s doors but failed to enter.

He was later arrested by the Morija Police and appeared in the Maseru Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday.

Molibeli said the man was familiar with the hospital because he had frequently visited his uncle.

’Malimpho Majoro