The Mangochi Senior Resident Magistrate’s Court on July 24, 2024, convicted and ordered a 27-year-old nurse, Chisomo Chikopa, and Steven Tanganyika, a 30-year-old salesman, each to pay K1,050,000.00 or face 18 months imprisonment with hard labor for contravening sections 32, 65(1), and 102(1)(d) of the Pharmacy and Medicines Regulatory Authority Act.
The court heard through prosecutor Inspector Shadreck Wisiki that, on March 4, 2024 Mangochi Police detectives, in collaboration with Drug Section officers from the National Police Headquarters and officials from the Pharmacy and Medicines Regulatory Authority, arrested two women who were advertising and offering for sale “Gammora” injection medicine through their TikTok page, claiming it was a cure for HIV.
Upon thorough questioning, the two women revealed that they had been working with Chikopa and Tanganyika, who both work in separate pharmacies within Mangochi Township, and were suppliers of the Gentamicin Injection in the scheme. This led to their arrest on March 7, 2024.
Appearing in court, the convicts, represented by Counsel Patrick Debwe and Mataka, both pleaded not guilty to all three counts. This prompted the state to parade four witnesses who proved the case beyond a reasonable doubt.
In mitigation, both convicts asked for the court’s leniency, citing family obligations. However, Prosecutor Wisiki objected to their plea, emphasizing that the duo were inhumane for selling and supplying prescription medicine used to produce a fake product that was not medically certified, thereby exposing a number of patients to risk. He, therefore, asked the court for stiffer sentences.
Passing the sentence, Senior Resident Magistrate Muhammad Chande concurred with the state that the duo had offered false hope to HIV/AIDS patients, deterring them from receiving proper medication.
He therefore ordered each to pay K350,000 for selling/supplying medicine without a prescription, K350,000 for dispensing prescription medicine without recording, and another K350,000 for failing to maintain prescription records, or face 18 months imprisonment with hard labor. Both have since paid the fine in cash.
Chikopa hails from Chamba village, Traditional Authority Mwambo in Zomba, while Tanganyika is from Kadewere village, Traditional Authority Chimaliro in Thyolo.
lnspector Amina Tepani Daudi
Public Relations Officer
Mangochi Police Station
Cell:0999-706-525
Email:amina.tepani@police.gov.mw
Website:www.police.gov.mw