The Masaka Chief Magistrate’s Court has sentenced two Rwandan nationals to three years in prison for selling fake herbal medicine claimed to cure HIV/AIDS.
The convicts, Nathan Karamuzi Kadogo, 28, of Kyotera District and Festo Katanye Mugabe, 37, a resident of Kanombe in Nyarugunga, Kigali, pleaded guilty before Grade One Magistrate Abdallah Kayiza.
Court heard that on April 30, 2026, the duo operated from Golf Lane Hotel in Masaka, where they sold herbal medicine to unsuspecting members of the public at prices ranging between Shs150,000 and Shs300,000.
They falsely claimed the medicine could cure HIV/AIDS.
Prosecution told court that their actions contravened Section 45(3) of the HIV and AIDS Prevention and Control Act, which prohibits false claims about curing the disease.
Upon their guilty plea, the magistrate sentenced each of them to three years in prison or a fine of Shs300,000.
The court also ordered that the herbal medicine be handed over to the National Drug Authority for further analysis.
Authorities have since warned the public to be cautious of individuals claiming to have cures for HIV/AIDS, urging people to seek treatment from recognized medical facilities.
