The audacious charade of Taurai Prosper Vanhuvaone, the 29-year-old Bulawayo man who masqueraded as a doctor at Mpilo Central Hospital, took another interesting turn this week as he attempted to pull off another shocking act – playing the role of a seasoned lawyer in court.
The seemingly ‘multi-talented’ man was arrested for masquerading as a doctor at Mpilo Central Hospital. His elaborate charade, which saw him posing as “Prosper Mpofu,” unraveled on Tuesday after a bizarre prescription he wrote for a patient raised suspicion.
The patient, Thabani Ndlovu, and his wife, who were seeking treatment for her heart condition, had been referred to “Dr. Mpofu” by a church friend. Ndlovu described how they found the “doctor” at the hospital, but were later surrounded by hospital authorities.
“We came this morning looking for him, but he was not around, he told us to wait. We then decided to join the queue at the outpatient’s department so that when he arrives, we would be ready. We managed to see the doctor that was in the rooms, and when we were done, he called us to tell us he was at the hospital. He took us to one of the rooms that is when we saw hospital authorities now surrounding us,” Ndlovu recounted.
The prescription, which circulated widely on social media, contained numerous errors, including incorrect dosages and misspelt drug names. It included references to Lacto and various fruits like apples and grapes, further raising red flags.
Vanhuvaone’s audacious deception wasn’t his first brush with the law. In 2022, he appeared in court on charges of assault, claiming to be a year 5 medical student at the time.
This incident highlights a growing concern in Zimbabwe, where fake doctors are targeting major hospitals, preying on vulnerable patients and exploiting their trust.
Following his arrest, Vanhuvaone appeared in court on Wednesday, facing two counts of fraud and one count of misrepresentation. Dressed in prison garb, he attempted to represent himself, boldly claiming expertise in legal matters and confidently citing constitutional rights.
“Bail is a constitutional right for all Zimbabweans as the Chief Justice of the country Luke Malaba states. It is in accordance with the Constitution of the country. The constitution is the supreme law of Zimbabwe. Any piece of legislation that opposes it is regarded as null and void,” he argued, representing himself.
Vanhuvaone further argued that mere assumptions from the police cannot be used as compelling reasons to deny bail, citing a 2019 case involving Bongani and others where Justice Pisirayi ruled against such practices.
He also claimed to be the sole provider for his mother and grandmother, who both suffer from chronic illnesses. “They both suffer from chronic illnesses and without me, it is going to be hard for them,” he said.
However, the State, represented by Ms Hazel Siphiwe Sithole, opposed bail, arguing that Vanhuvaone is a flight risk due to the gravity of the alleged offences.
Ms Sithole detailed the charges against Vanhuvaone, stating that on September 16, he attended to patients at Mpilo Central Hospital, pretending to be a doctor and prescribing medication. This, she said, violated Section 121 of the Health Professions Act Chapter 27:19, which prohibits unregistered individuals from practicing or representing themselves as medical practitioners.
Vanhuvaone is also accused of defrauding Miss Faith Hove on August 17, by misrepresenting himself as a registered medical doctor and treating her for a fee of US$120. Ms Sithole alleged that Miss Hove realised she had been deceived when her condition did not improve.
The third charge involves Vanhuvaone defrauding Miss Samantha Ziki of US$1 600 between February 2023 and April 2024. He allegedly convinced her that he was a medical practitioner and had influence to secure her a place at Mpilo Central Hospital’s school of nursing. He then requested money to facilitate her enrolment, which he allegedly converted to his own use.
Magistrate Nomagugu Maphosa remanded Vanhuvaone in custody until September 23 for a bail ruling.
