Dr Death's crimes in Zimbabwe revisited

In November 1994, Joseph Michael Swango, one of the most notorious serial killers in American history, arrived in Zimbabwe under the guise of serving as a medical doctor. Swango, later nicknamed "Dr Death," had previously murdered and attempted to murder multiple patients in the United States before seeking work abroad.

Swango applied through an Evangelical church agency to work at Mnene Mission Hospital in Mberengwa, run by the Lutheran Church. Within months of his arrival, patients admitted with non-life-threatening conditions began dying under mysterious circumstances. Investigations revealed that Swango had been injecting patients with poisonous substances, including arsenic. Among the victims were Katazo Shava, Philimon Chipoko, and Margaret Zhou.

One notable incident involved a pregnant patient, Virginia Sibanda, who was admitted to the labour ward. Swango reportedly took over her care from the nurses and injected poison into her intravenous drip. Fortunately, the baby survived, but the incident heightened suspicion and alarm among the hospital staff.

Initially, Mnene Mission Hospital kept the deaths discreet. However, when the nuns threatened to report the matter, hospital head Dr. Zishiri alerted the Zimbabwe Republic Police. Constable Chakarisa was assigned to investigate. Swango denied any wrongdoing, claiming that the nurses were hallucinating.

Following the investigation, Mnene Mission Hospital dismissed Swango. He subsequently approached a prominent Zimbabwean lawyer, paying Z$15,250 (approximately US$2,500), claiming that his dismissal was unfair. The lawyer agreed to represent him in a labour dispute against the Lutheran Church, apparently unaware about Swango's criminal history.

Police searches of Swango's living quarters uncovered a large cache of medical equipment, drugs, syringes, and foreign chemicals. Investigators also discovered that he had illegally imported 55 types of drugs into Zimbabwe. Swango reportedly justified this by claiming he had brought the substances "out of the goodness of [his] heart" to treat patients in rural areas.

After his dismissal, Swango moved to Bulawayo, where he stayed with a Presbyterian acquaintance, O'Hare, a credit controller at National Foods. Reports indicate he behaved erratically, locking himself indoors for days, stealing food and alcohol, and committing acts of sabotage, including poisoning her and tampering with her car fuel. When police sought to arrest him for malicious damage, Swango fled Zimbabwe for Zambia.

The lawyer retained by Swango continued to press his unfair dismissal claim, unaware of his client's violent history. When Swango failed to appear at the hearing, the lawyer later admitted that Swango had manipulated him, portraying himself as a benevolent doctor wronged by his employers.

The Swango case remains one of the most chilling examples of international medical malpractice and serial killing, highlighting the risks posed when dangerous individuals are able to move across borders undetected.