Two women identified as Mary Julius Saidi, 25, of Kalonga Village, Traditional Authority Mponda in Mangochi District and Molly Kainga, 34, of Kalilombe village, Traditional Authority Chakhumbira in Ntcheu District have been ordered by the Mangochi Senior Resident Magistrate’s Court to pay K2,450,000 each for contravening section 106 (1), 95(1b), 56, 68, and 65(1) of Pharmacy and Medicines, Regulatory Authority Act and section 25 of HIV and AIDS ( prevention and Management) Act respectively.

Mangochi Police Station Public Relations Officer Inspector Amina Tepani Daudi has confirmed.

Daudi indicated that during court proceedings, prosecutor Inspector Shadreck Wisiki told court that, the two convicts conspired in the production of a fake HIV/AIDS cure drug stores within Mangochi Township, in the process they removed the original stickers and rebranded them with the Gammora label.

“The two who jointly bear the TikTok username “Gammora had been advertising and offering for sale the said fake product and were selling a dosage of three bottles at a sum of K120,000,” Daudi revealed.

It was further indicated that a number of HIV patients had been duped by the duo which prompted them to report to the police, leading to the arrest of Saidi on March 3, at Abuja Bus Depot within Mangochi Boma while Kainga was nabbed two days later in Salima and both were found with bottles of gentamicin and Gammora stickers.

They both pleaded guilt to all six counts but they asked for court’s leniency as they both have little babies citing that their toddlers would suffer if jailed.

“In his submission, Prosecutor Wisiki objected their plea emphasized that the duo are inhumane and their fake product is not medically certified which exposed a number of patients at risk hence asked the court for stiffer sentences,” she indicated.

In his ruling, Senior Resident Magistrate Muhammad Chande concurred with the state that the duo offered hope to HIV/AIDS patients and deterred them to desist from recieving proper medication.

Chande therefore; ordered each to pay K700,000 for the first count, K350,000 second count, K350,000 third count, K350,000 for fourth court, K350,000 for fifth count and another K350,000 for the last count in default 2-years imprisonment with hard labour.

He has further forfeited all three cellphones which were being used to swindle money from patients to the Malawi Government.