Zimbabwe police investigate bogus doctor

POLICE in Bulawayo are investigating a man who has reportedly been practising as a medical doctor without a licence.

Although details about the way he was operating were still sketchy as police said they were still investigating the matter, Pastor Chaka Admire Chakarowa was arrested by members of the Criminal Investigations Frauds Section on Friday and is still assisting with investigations.

He was arrested following growing concern from members of the public, especially institutions like schools and workplaces where he conducted workshops purporting to be a doctor and they doubted his credibility and understanding of medical practice.

Indications are that Pastor Chaka never trained for any medical course he purports to hold.

It is alleged he was practising as a Homeopathy doctor, claiming he did a degree in Naturopathy and is reportedly operating from the corner of Jason Moyo Street and 2nd Avenue.

Homeopathy is a system of medicine which involves treating the individual with highly diluted substances, given mainly in tablet form, with the aim of triggering the body's natural system of healing. Homeopathy doctors are qualified to mix herbs to cure specific diseases.

Naturopathic medicine is based on the belief that the human body has an innate healing ability and Naturopathic doctors (NDs) prescribe to their patients to use diet, exercise, lifestyle changes to ward off and combat disease.

Sources from the medical field said Naturopathy was a four to six-year degree course, which one can obtain from an institution of herbal medicine.

"He does not hold any degree in Naturopathy except that he is a pastor. What we do not understand is how he is operating in Bulawayo as a Naturopathy doctor when he is actually a prophet," said a source.

Acting police spokesperson for Bulawayo Assistant Inspector Precious Simango confirmed receiving the report and said investigations were still in progress.

"I can confirm we received a report concerning a man who is believed to be practising without a certificate and investigations are in progress," she said.

Pastor Chaka is likely to be charged with practising as a medical doctor without a licence and is expected to appear in court soon, according to the police.

Indications are that Pastor Chaka was deported from Botswana in August 2008 on accusations of using his church, Abundant Life Ministries, in a racket to rob HIV positive people in that country of their anti-retroviral drugs (ARVs) and allegedly selling them in Zimbabwe on the black market.

The story was carried in that country's media, that Pastor Chaka told those who were HIV positive to surrender their drugs to him and he sold them a concoction, which he said would cure them.

According to media reports in Botswana, many of his clients died from the disease and he was investigated for causing the spread of HIV and Aids.

This led to his deportation alongside an alleged accomplice Pastor Chris Chissana who was allegedly running an unregistered branch of a Pentecostal church.

It is alleged Pastor Chaka arrived in Botswana in 1993 and was not a pastor then and started preaching, using the name Pastor Edmore Chaka instead of Admire Chaka, which he used in Zimbabwe.

"We know he is at it again. He has been doing this since 2008 and is telling people to stop taking ARVs in favour of his unknown medicine. This is unethical and people are dying," said a source.

"He says he obtained a degree in Australia and Solusi University but the truth is he only stayed in Australia for one month and attended a one-day seminar at Solusi. We know he does not hold any qualification."

Recently, another Bulawayo man was arrested for allegedly practising without medical qualifications where he duped his clients that he was a doctor based at Mpilo Central and the United Bulawayo Hospitals.