Former state specialist forensic pathologist Dr James Blair Mwesigwa, who stole body parts at Diepkloof Mortuary, was convicted in Kempton Park Magistrate’s Court on Thursday.
He was found guilty on six charges, including theft, violating a body, defeating and obstructing the administration of justice, contravening regulations relating to the use of human biological material, contravening regulations regarding the control of human bodies, tissue, blood, blood products, and contravening regulations regarding the rendering of forensic pathology services, according to the NPA.
He will be sentenced today (Friday).
Mwesigwa stole organs from the body of Alida Scheepers on October 24, 2013.
The conviction was welcomed by the DA.
Jack Bloom, MPL and DA Gauteng shadow health MEC, said this had been a long-running case as he was suspended from the mortuary in November 2013.
“The Gauteng Health Department handled this case very badly, suspending him on full pay for 17 months, during which time he received R1.54-million, before resigning in March 2015.
“Ways should be found to speed up cases like this as Dr Mwesigwa has been free to practice as a doctor for all this time. I hope that he gets a very severe prison sentence for this heinous crime of desecrating the dead.”
