Kenyan man arrested in Bulawayo for posing as a traditional healer to scam residents

A Kenyan national who overstayed his visa in Bulawayo and posed as a traditional healer to swindle residents out of their money has been fined US$300.

Henry Odour Mwedia (48) appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Mr Themba Chimiso charged with contravening Section 36(1)(h) of the Immigration Act for failing to comply with the conditions of his permit.

Mwedia pleaded guilty and was convicted. He was ordered to pay US$300 by December 31, 2025 or serve four months in prison. In sentencing, the magistrate noted Mwedia’s guilty plea and remorse, which saved the court’s time.

However, in aggravation, prosecutor Ms Rumbidzai Gwishiri told the court that Mwedia carefully planned the offence, even assuming a false identity as “Dr MO Jomo.”

“He masqueraded as a traditional healer and told unsuspecting community members that he could heal various ailments, including sexually transmitted infections (STIs), cancer, and diabetes, among many others.

“He also claimed he could bring back lost lovers and cast out spirits of bad luck. He took advantage of community members’ desperation for help and fleeced them of their hard-earned money. A number of residents lost significant amounts to him,” said Ms Gwishiri.

Ms Gwishiri urged the court to impose a custodial sentence, describing Mwedia as a cunning criminal.

“He changed his identity and masqueraded as a traditional healer, which shows he is a danger to society,” she said.

The court heard that Mwedia entered Zimbabwe on December 11, 2024 through Chirundu Border Post using a Kenyan passport and was granted a 30-day stay.

“On 15 December this year, a compliance team from the Immigration Department in Bulawayo received a tip-off that Mwedia had been staying illegally for 11 months at a flat in the city centre.

“The team discovered that Mwedia had been posing as a traditional healer under the name Dr MO Jomo, claiming to cure ailments such as cancer and STIs,” said Ms Gwishiri.