Taurayi Prosper Vanhuvaone, a man who pretended to be a doctor at Mpilo Hospital in Bulawayo and defrauded several people, has filed an appeal against his recent conviction on two counts of fraud.
Vanhuvaone claims he was misled by the police, who allegedly told him he would be sentenced to community service if he pleaded guilty.
He is scheduled to return to court on April 4, with the State having subpoenaed additional witnesses as the trial continues. Following his conviction, Vanhuvaone’s bail was revoked.
His case drew significant media attention after his arrest last year. The trial is presided over by Bulawayo magistrate Eva Matura.
During the trial, it was revealed that one of the key witnesses, Samantha Ziki, is a former girlfriend of Vanhuvaone.
She accused him of duping her out of US$1,600 in a failed nursing program scam. During cross-examination, Vanhuvaone accused Ziki of making false claims out of bitterness, arguing that he had contributed part of the money she said he took.
Vanhuvaone had been pretending to be a doctor at Mpilo Central Hospital, where he misrepresented himself to patients seeking medical help, using the name “Prosper Mpofu.” He faces charges of fraud and misrepresentation.
Internal investigations at Mpilo Hospital revealed that Vanhuvaone operated undetected from an office within the hospital for about two years. He allegedly extended his deceit to United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH), where he similarly misled patients and staff.
Prosecutor Samuel Mpofu outlined that on September 16, 2024, Vanhuvaone attended to patients at Mpilo Central Hospital, pretending to be a medical practitioner and prescribing medication.
On another charge, Mpofu said Vanhuvaone defrauded Ziki of US$1,600 between February 2023 and April 2024, convincing her that he could secure her a spot at the Mpilo Central Hospital School of Nursing.
In an unrelated case from 2022, Vanhuvaone was convicted of assaulting two men he suspected of being in a relationship with his then-girlfriend.
He was also charged with malicious property damage. He avoided a prison sentence after pleading with the court, citing his status as a fifth-year medical student.
For the assault charges, he was fined ZWL$70,000 or seven months in jail. Ten months of imprisonment were suspended for five years on the condition of good behavior.
For the malicious property damage, he was sentenced to 10 months, with five months suspended on the same condition and the remaining five months suspended if he compensated the victim, Ndebele, US$1,100 for the property he destroyed during the assault.
More: Chronicle
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