Zimbabwean Prophet Found Guilty over HIV/AIDS “Cure”

A renowned Zimbabwean prophet has been convicted for selling a herbal drug that he falsely claimed to be a cure for HIV/AIDS.

According to a UN report, Zimbabwe has over 1.3 million people living with HIV/AIDS.

In October last year, Prophet Walter Magaya of the Prophetic Healing and Deliverance ministry told congregants that he and his Indian counterparts had developed a cure for HIV/AIDS – a herbal drug known as Aguma.

Magaya reportedly said the subjects that he tested the drug on were cured after just 14 days. He also claimed to have engaged the World Health Organisation and the Zimbabwean government for approval on the drug.

A month later, Magaya was arrested. Police raided his offices, where they found Aguma sachets and half-burned containers, which the prophet and others had attempted to destroy.

Appearing in Harare Magistrates Court on Tuesday, 5 February, Magaya was found guilty and fined $700 for contravening Section 41 of the Medicines and Allied Substances Control Act.