Chronicle EditorPeter Matika, [email protected]
Taurayi Prosper Vanhuvaone, who posed as a doctor in Bulawayo and operated at Mpilo Hospital, while defrauding several people, has launched an appeal against his recent conviction on two counts of fraud.
In his appeal, Vanhuvaone stated that he was deceived by police, whom he alleged told him he would get an out of custody sentence if he pleaded guilty.
He alleged that police told him that he would be sentenced to community service.
He is due back in court on April 4.
The State has since subpoenaed other witnesses as the trial continues.
Vanhuvaone who was enjoying the freedom of bail was again sent behind bars after the State revoked his bail, following his conviction.
The trial is being presided over by Bulawayo magistrate Mrs Eva Matura.
Vanhuvaone’s case grabbed headlines following his arrest last year.
As the trial kicked off It was discovered that one of the witnesses Miss Samantha Ziki is a former girlfriend whom he allegedly duped of US$1 600 in a botched nursing program scam.
Vanhuvaone, during the cross-examination of Ms Ziki, accused her of being a bitter ex-girlfriend, who is now creating lies to get back at him.
He argued that he contributed to part of the money that Ms Ziki claims.
He had allegedly been masquerading as a doctor at Mpilo Central Hospital and misrepresented himself to those seeking medical attention as Prosper Mpofu.
Vanhuvaone is facing charges of fraud and of misrepresentation.
Internal investigations at the hospital revealed that Vanhuvaone operated undetected from an office within the hospital’s vast premises for approximately two years.
It was reported that Vanhuvaone allegedly spread his operations to United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH), where he similarly deceived patients and staff.
According to the State’s case presented by Mr Samuel Mpofu said on September 16 last year at Mpilo Central Hospital Vanhuvaone attended to patients seeking medical assistance, while all the while pretending to be a medical practitioner and prescribed drugs for them.
For the second count, Mr Mpofu said Vanhuvaone said he was being charged with fraud as in section 136 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act Chapter 9:23.
Mr Mpofu said Miss Hove discovered that she had been duped when her condition failed to improve.
On count three Mr Mpofu said Vanhuvaone sometime between February 2023 and April 2024 defrauded Ms Ziki of US$1 600 after leading her to believe that he was a medical practitioner and had influenced to secure her a place at Mpilo Central Hospital’s school of nursing.
In 2022 Vanhuvaone was convicted and sentenced for a charge of assault after he beat up two men whom he suspected to be in a sexual relationship with his then girlfriend at a city lodge.
He was also charged with malicious property damage.
Vanhuvaone escaped a prison sentence after he pleaded with the court not to incarcerate him as he was a fifth-year medical student.
On the first two counts of assault, Mpofu was fined $70 000 (or seven months in jail). Ten months imprisonment was suspended for five years on condition of good behaviour.
On count three of malicious property damage, he was sentenced to 10 months imprisonment of which five months were suspended for five years on condition of good behaviour.
The remaining five months were suspended on condition that he compensates Ndebele US$1 100 being the value of his property he destroyed when he was beating him up.
Online Reporter