BULAWAYO – A 29-year-old man from Upper Range in Bulawayo who masqueraded as a doctor at Mpilo Central Hospital has been jailed for seven years after duping desperate patients with fake medical services.
Taurai Prosper Vanhuvaone, who went by the alias Prosper Mpofu, was convicted on charges of fraud, impersonating a medical professional, and unlawfully prescribing medication.
He was tried before Bulawayo magistrate Eva Matura.
Although sentenced to 84 months (7 years) behind bars, Vanhuvaone will serve an effective 42 months – half the sentence – if he restitutes his victims by July 30.
The court heard that Vanhuvaone fleeced a nurse-aid student of US$1,600 after promising to facilitate attachment for her at Mpilo Hospital.
In another case, he issued a fake prescription containing bizarre instructions involving “lacto and fruits including apples and grapes,” a prescription which ultimately raised the suspicions of doctors at the country’s second biggest referral hospital.
The court ruled that his actions were not only criminal but also endangered lives and tarnished the image of the hospital.
This is not his first brush with the law. In 2022, using the same alias, he appeared in court on assault charges where he falsely claimed to be a fifth-year medical student.
