Zimbabwean Religious Leader, Prophet Magaya, Found Guilty of Claiming He Has HIV 'Cure'

Zimbabwean prophet, Walter Magaya, who made headlines after he had boldly claimed that he had found the cure for HIV has been found guilty of contravening the Medicines Control Act. He claimed that Aguma, a herb, would cure HIV and this was not in line with the law because he did not follow due procedure. 

He appeared before a Harare magistrate named Rumbi Mugwagwa and he was convicted on his own guilty plea. He appeared on behalf his Aretha Medicines company. 

Walter Magaya is of the argument that his only wrong was announcing the medicine hastily without fully giving notice to the authorities, but he maintains that his cure for HIV is perfect, and that it stands as fact. 

"The drug went through laboratory tests in India and the discovery was proved to be true before the announcement was made.

"This is only a technical fact whereby the accused only skipped set procedures by advertising the drug without complying with the law. Otherwise the word that there is a discovery still stands," his lawyer, Everson Chatambudza, said.

Magaya said that he tried to notify the authorities but he was given a cold shoulder and because of that, he asked for leniency. 

The sentence is widely expected to be a fine. 

"The court must consider that prior to his arrest, the accused tendered an apology to the whole world on November 1 2018... ," said Chatambudza.

"There was an attempt on the part of the accused to comply with the law.

"Three days prior to the announcement, he wrote to the ministry and notified them on the discovery and about his intention to announce his discovery to the whole world, a clear indication he was seeking guidance.

"Unfortunately, he did not get any response.

"If the ministry had responded, setting guidelines, the accused should have complied."