A Kenyan national who remained in Zimbabwe beyond the срок of his visa and posed as a traditional healer to defraud residents in Bulawayo has been fined US$300 by the courts.
Henry Odour Mwedia (48) appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Themba Chimiso, where he was charged under Section 36(1)(h) of the Immigration Act for failing to comply with the conditions of his entry permit.
Mwedia pleaded guilty and was convicted. The court ordered him to pay the fine by 31 December 2025, failing which he will serve four months in prison.
In delivering sentence, the magistrate noted that Mwedia’s admission of guilt and apparent remorse helped save valuable court time, which was considered in mitigation.
However, prosecutor Rumbidzai Gwishiri told the court that the offence was premeditated and involved deliberate deception. She revealed that Mwedia had assumed the false identity “Dr MO Jomo” in order to carry out his scheme.
According to the State, Mwedia falsely presented himself as a traditional healer, claiming he could treat a wide range of illnesses, including sexually transmitted infections, cancer and diabetes. He also allegedly told victims that he could reunite lovers and remove curses or bad luck.
The prosecutor said Mwedia exploited vulnerable community members seeking help and swindled them out of substantial sums of money, with several residents suffering financial losses. She urged the court to impose a custodial sentence, describing the accused as a calculated offender who posed a risk to the public.
Evidence presented to the court showed that Mwedia entered Zimbabwe on 11 December 2024 through Chirundu Border Post using a Kenyan passport and was granted permission to stay for 30 days.
On 15 December 2025, officials from the Bulawayo Immigration Department received information that he had been living illegally for nearly a year in a city-centre apartment. Investigations confirmed that he had been operating as a self-styled healer under the name “Dr MO Jomo,” making false claims of curing serious illnesses.
