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Peter Matika
Bulawayo Bureau
A 29-YEAR-OLD man from Bulawayo, who masqueraded as a doctor at Mpilo Central Hospital, identifying himself as Prosper Mpofu, is in fact Taurai Prosper Vanhuvaone from Barbourfields suburb, it emerged yesterday.
Vanhuvaone was arrested on Tuesday after his ‘cover’ was blown.
He appeared in court yesterday facing two counts of fraud and one of misrepresentation.
Clad in prison garb, the ‘doctor’ begged the court to grant him bail citing sections of the Constitution.
Vanhuvaone, who is representing himself, appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Nomagugu Maphosa who remanded him in custody to 23 September for bail ruling.
He pleaded with the court to grant him bail asserting it was his constitutional right.
“Bail is a constitutional right for all Zimbabweans as the Chief Justice of the country Luke Malaba states. It is in accordance with the Constitution of the country. The constitution is the supreme law of Zimbabwe.
“Any piece of legislation that opposes it is regarded as null and void.
“Also, Justice Pisirayi, in a case involving Bongani and others in 2019, said mere assumptions from the police cannot be made compelling reasons to deny an accused person a right to bail,” argued Vanhuvaone.
In his arguments, he said the State should provide compelling reasons in terms of Section 50 (1) (d) of the Constitution as to why bail should be denied.
“I would like to ask the court for bail as I never ran away from the police when they confronted me.
“They verified my residential address and I understand that the seriousness of an offence should not be the sole reason for denying one bail,” Vanhuvaone said.
He also told the court that he was the breadwinner for his mother and grandmother.
“They both suffer from chronic illnesses and without me, it is going to be hard for them,” said Vanhuvaone.
Ms Hazel Siphiwe Sithole for the State opposed bail, arguing that Vanhuvaone is a flight risk given the gravity of the offence he allegedly committed.
Ms Sithole said on September 16 at Mpilo Central Hospital, Vanhuvaone attended to patients seeking medical assistance while pretending to be a doctor and prescribed drugs.
“He contravened Section 121 of the Health Professions Act Chapter 27:19 (Unregistered Persons Practicing as Registered or Representing Themselves to Be Medical Practitioners),” she said.
For the second count, Ms Sithole said Vanhuvaone was charged with fraud under Section 136 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act Chapter 9:23.
“On 17 August at Mpilo Central Hospital, the accused person misrepresented to the complainant, Miss Faith Hove, that he was a registered medical doctor and as such was able to treat her. Due to this misrepresentation, the complainant agreed to be treated and was charged US$120 for services,” she said.
Ms Sithole told the court that Miss Hove discovered she had been duped when her condition failed to improve.
On the third count, she said Vanhuvaone, sometime between February 2023 and April 2024, defrauded another complainant, Miss Samantha Ziki of US$1 600 after leading her to believe that he was a medical practitioner and had influence to secure her a place at Mpilo Central Hospital’s school of nursing.
“The accused person went on to ask for money to facilitate the enrolment and he was given cash amounting to US$1 600, which he converted to his own use,” Ms Sithole said.
Online Reporter