news 5 May 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
Masaka Court Jails Two Rwandans for Peddling Fake HIV Cure
A Masaka magistrate's court has sentenced two Rwandan nationals to three years in prison or a Shs300,000 fine each for selling herbal remedies falsely advertised as an HIV cure. The duo pleaded guilty to spreading misleading information after a suspicious buyer alerted police. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/masaka-court-hands-jail-term-to-rwandan-duo-over-fake-hiv-cure-claims-5447268
A court in Masaka convicted two men from Rwanda on charges of disseminating false claims about curing HIV/AIDS through herbal treatments.
Festo Katanye Mugabe, 37, from Kanombe in Kigali, and Nathan Karamuzi Kadogo, 28, from Kyotera District, faced Grade One Magistrate Abdallah Kayiza on Tuesday.
Prosecutors revealed that on April 30, the pair hawked their product at Golf Lane Hotel in Masaka, targeting HIV patients with prices between Shs150,000 and Shs300,000 per dose, insisting it eliminated the virus.
One buyer grew wary and notified authorities, prompting the suspects’ swift arrest. They admitted guilt under Section 45(3) of the HIV and AIDS Prevention and Control Act, which allows up to 10 years behind bars.
Despite it being their initial offense, the prosecutor pushed for a strong sentence to discourage copycats. Magistrate Kayiza opted for three years imprisonment or a Shs300,000 fine per person, weighing remorse and deterrence.
“The punishment must deter similar acts, though your first-time status and guilty plea show regret,” the magistrate noted.
The court further directed that the herbal concoction be surrendered to the National Drug Authority for testing and potential destruction if deemed unfit.
Source: Daily Monitor (Uganda)