News / National
Man practises as doctor with only Shona and History at O-level
22 May 2013 at 22:11hrs | Views
A BOGUS medical doctor, who established and operated a clinic for three months in Shamva with only two Ordinary Level passes, was recently jailed for an effective four-and-a-half years by a Bindura magistrate.
Wonder Mupesa Mukwalala (36) of 5843-32 Crescent, Glen View 3, Harare, established the fully-fledged clinic and employed a number of nurse aides.
He would treat patients posing as a medical doctor and wrote prescriptions and dispensed medicines.
Medical drugs valued at US$6 000 were recovered when police raided Mukwalala's clinic.
Magistrate Mrs Tendai Chifamba had initially sentenced him to five years, but suspended six months on condition that he would not commit a similar offence in five years.
Mukwalala only passed Shona and History both with a C grade at 'O' Level and failed six other subjects.
He denied forgery charges when his trial opened, but Mrs Chifamba convicted him owing to overwhelming evidence.
Mukwalala argued that contrary to allegations that he had misrepresented himself as a medical doctor, he was in fact a traditional healer.
But he failed to produce a practising certificate from the Zimbabwe National Traditional Healers Association which regulates operations of traditional healers.
He also failed to challenge evidence proffered against him by two of his nurse aides who confirmed he was operating as a medical doctor.
Prosecutor Mr Trymore Makunya told the court that Mukwalala approached Humana People to People general manager Mr Kizito Gobvu at his workplace in Shamva on February 4 where he identified himself as a medical doctor.
He told him that he was looking for premises to operate a clinic to assist the people.
Humana People to People is a humanitarian organisation based in Bindura and has branches across Mashonaland Central Province.
Mukwalala intended to rent part of the organisation's offices in Shamva for his clinic.
Mr Gobvu told the court that he asked Mukwalala to make a formal application which he submitted two days later.
Acting on the misrepresentation, Mr Gobvu offered Mukwalala the offices on condition he produced practising certificates and a licence. Mukwalala said the documents were being processed in Harare and went on to establish the clinic where he would charge between US$40 and US$60 as consultation fees.
He also employed nurse aides whom he promised to pay weekly wages of US$60, but he never paid them for the three months they worked for him.
Mr Gobvu investigated Mukwalala after he failed to produce his medical qualifications and discovered that he had a mere two 'O' levels.
Wonder Mupesa Mukwalala (36) of 5843-32 Crescent, Glen View 3, Harare, established the fully-fledged clinic and employed a number of nurse aides.
He would treat patients posing as a medical doctor and wrote prescriptions and dispensed medicines.
Medical drugs valued at US$6 000 were recovered when police raided Mukwalala's clinic.
Magistrate Mrs Tendai Chifamba had initially sentenced him to five years, but suspended six months on condition that he would not commit a similar offence in five years.
Mukwalala only passed Shona and History both with a C grade at 'O' Level and failed six other subjects.
He denied forgery charges when his trial opened, but Mrs Chifamba convicted him owing to overwhelming evidence.
Mukwalala argued that contrary to allegations that he had misrepresented himself as a medical doctor, he was in fact a traditional healer.
But he failed to produce a practising certificate from the Zimbabwe National Traditional Healers Association which regulates operations of traditional healers.
He also failed to challenge evidence proffered against him by two of his nurse aides who confirmed he was operating as a medical doctor.
Prosecutor Mr Trymore Makunya told the court that Mukwalala approached Humana People to People general manager Mr Kizito Gobvu at his workplace in Shamva on February 4 where he identified himself as a medical doctor.
He told him that he was looking for premises to operate a clinic to assist the people.
Humana People to People is a humanitarian organisation based in Bindura and has branches across Mashonaland Central Province.
Mukwalala intended to rent part of the organisation's offices in Shamva for his clinic.
Mr Gobvu told the court that he asked Mukwalala to make a formal application which he submitted two days later.
Acting on the misrepresentation, Mr Gobvu offered Mukwalala the offices on condition he produced practising certificates and a licence. Mukwalala said the documents were being processed in Harare and went on to establish the clinic where he would charge between US$40 and US$60 as consultation fees.
He also employed nurse aides whom he promised to pay weekly wages of US$60, but he never paid them for the three months they worked for him.
Mr Gobvu investigated Mukwalala after he failed to produce his medical qualifications and discovered that he had a mere two 'O' levels.
Source - Herald
