Illegal pharmacy closed

A HOBHOUSE man, who was operating an illegal pharmacy at Odzi Shopping Centre, was forced to close it by a Mutare court.

Tinashe Samanga (30) of Hobhouse 2 was convicted on his own guilty plea for contravening Section 29(1)(a) of the Medicines and Allied Substances Control Act, Chapter 15:03.

Samanga appeared before Mutare magistrate, Ms Prisca Manhibi, while Ms Tafadzwa Chiwanza prosecuted.

Ms Chiwanza said on December 30, 2021, police officers from ZRP Odzi who were on patrol received information that Samanga was selling various unregistered drugs at Odzi Shopping Centre.

When they approached him, they recovered various unregistered drugs that were in his possession.

The drugs were not registered with the Medicines and Allied Substances Control Authority of Zimbabwe.

“Samanga had no right to sell the unregistered drugs. The recovered drugs were neither registered nor cleared by the Medicines and Allied Substances Control of Zimbabwe and by so doing, he contravened the Act,” said Ms Chiwanza.

Among the recovered drugs were ibuprofen, amoxicillin, hyoscine butylbromide bp, fluconazole, albentazol, kodoxy, indometharcin, benzathine, chlophenamine, omeprazole, folic acid, erythromylin, co-trimoxazole, cenvitan adults, ciprofloxacin, pyridoxine, vagina pesal, lozat-50, azithromycin acid, paracetamol, doxycyline, certiavone immunox, amoxicillin oral suspension and congo-dust.

In mitigation, Samanga begged the court for forgiveness and stated that he was trying to earn a living as he is unemployed.

He, however, did not disclose how he had acquired the drugs.

The value of all the drugs that were in his possession was $19 040.