Bogus Mozambican doctor arrested

A MOZAMBICAN man who faked to be a medical practitioner was recently fined $300 after he was found in possession of medical equipment at an illegal crossing point near Marymount Teachers' College.

Franciso Sozinetto Melo (37) was nabbed while trying to illegally cross into Zimbabwe with unauthorised medical accessories which he claimed were for professional use as he was a health assistant in Chimoio.

He pleaded guilty to the charges.

Mutare magistrate, Mr Innocent Bepura heard the matter.

Public prosecutor, Mr Fletcher Karombe, told the court that on March 15 at around 8.30am, Constable Lungube Evance was in the company of Private Ndou of the Zimbabwe National Army on general patrol duties along the Zimbabwe- Mozambique border when they caught the accused person on the Zimbabwean side.

They stopped him and escorted him to Marymount Base where they searched his satchel. The law enforcement agents found him in possession of medical equipment he was trying to smuggle into Zimbabwe. Mr Bepura asked Melo about the equipment and he said he was a medical assistant who wanted to help cholera and HIV patients in Chimoio.

"Your Worship, I am health assistant in Mozambique and all these equipments and medicines are to help my grandmother who is HIV positive," he said. He failed to produce proof to bolster his claims and was subsequently charged with violating Section 29(1) (a) of the Medical Allied Substances Control Act.