Three medical staff members from Nyanza District have appeared before the Busasamana Primary Court over allegations of negligence that prosecutors say led to the death of a newborn baby, a case that has sparked debate on emergency maternal care in public health facilities.
The accused — Dr. Dukundane Jean Marie Vianney, Munyaneza Emmanuel, and Habimana Festus — are charged by the National Public Prosecution Authority (National Public Prosecution Authority) with manslaughter allegedly resulting from delayed medical intervention at Nyanza Hospital.
The three doctors deny all charges.
According to the prosecution, the incident occurred on October 16, 2025, when a pregnant woman was referred from Gahombo Health Centre and arrived at Nyanza Hospital in critical condition requiring urgent medical attention. Prosecutors allege that despite her condition, she was not attended to promptly and was instead delayed, including being asked for identification details, which contributed to a fatal outcome.
“The accused failed to take the necessary medical action in time,” the prosecution told the court, arguing that the delay directly contributed to the death of the newborn.
The prosecution further relied on testimonies from a nurse at Gahombo Health Centre, the baby’s grandmother, and the husband of the patient, all indicating that immediate intervention could have saved the child’s life. The husband told the court he was asked for identification documents while he was not present at the hospital.
The prosecution requested a 30-day provisional detention, arguing that releasing the suspects could interfere with ongoing investigations.
However, the accused doctors rejected the allegations, telling the court that patients are prioritized based on the severity of their condition rather than order of arrival.
They argued that the mother was received, assessed, and placed under appropriate medical monitoring while other emergency cases were handled simultaneously.
One of the doctors stated: “If we had not prioritized other critical patients, we could have lost both the mother and the baby.”
The accused also maintained that administrative requirements such as identity verification are not handled by doctors but by other hospital staff, insisting their focus remained on emergency care.
Their defense lawyer told the court that the incident was a medical complication rather than negligence, adding that the accused should be released provisionally as they have fixed residences and are not flight risks.
The three medical workers were arrested in April 2026 and have since been detained at Busasamana RIB station in Nyanza while investigations continue.
The court is expected to rule on their provisional release later in May 2026.
