The Masaka Magistrate’s Court has sentenced two Rwandese nationals to a three years imprisonment term or pay a fine of UGX 300,000 over selling a fake herbal concoction that purportedly cures HIV/AIDS to a number of unsuspecting individuals in Masaka city.
The Magistrate Grade One Abdallah Kayiza, convicted Festo Katanye Mugabe, 37, from Kanombe, Nyarugunga in Kigali, and Nathan Karamuzi Kadogo, 28, of Kalwazi Cell in Kyotera District, for spreading misleading information about HIV/AIDS after their own guilty plea.
Prosecution told court that Mugabe and Kadogo while at Golf Lane Hotel in Masaka on April 30, 2026, sold herbal medicine to unsuspecting people who they were charging between UGX 150,000-300,000 and falsely claiming it could cure HIV/AIDS.
The duo pleaded guilty to the charge which contravenes Section 45(3) of the HIV and AIDS Prevention and Control Act.
During sentencing, his worship Kayiza noted that the duo were both first offenders and had not wasted courts time by entering a guilty plea and took into consideration, the prosecutions prayer for a maximum sentence to be handed to both suspects.
“I have considered both mitigating factors and aggravating factors in this case, the accused deserves a punishment that can deter others from doing similar acts. I have however considered the fact that you are first time offenders, not wasted court’s time, and those are signs of being remorseful” he said.
He added, “A1 (Mugabe) and A2 (Kadogo) are sentenced to a fine of UGX 300,000 each or imprisonment for three years in the default. I also order that the said drugs that were exhibited be handed over to the National Drug Authority for examination and destruction” he said.
He advised both convicts to appeal their sentence in 14 days, if they are dissatisfies with the sentence.
