Cleric convicted of contravening Medicines Act
Publish date: 11 February 2019
Issue Number: 810
Diary: IBA Legalbrief Africa
Category: Zimbabwe
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.
