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Legalbrief   |   your legal news hub Thursday 28 March 2024

Cleric convicted of contravening Medicines Act

A Zimbabwean court has convicted a popular self-styled prophet on fraud charges and fined him $700 for falsely claiming he had a herbal cure for HIV and Aids. Walter Magaya pleaded guilty to contravening the Medicines Control Act by selling an unapproved drug. BBC News reports that Magaya is among a group of young, brash and flashy religious figures who have emerged during Zimbabwe's economic crisis, attracting a huge number of followers with promises of ‘miracle healing and miracle money’. He told his congregation last October that the drug would destroy the Aids virus within 14 days.