Woman jailed over skin-lightening creams

Leonard Ncube, Victoria Falls Reporter

A 41-year-old Bulawayo woman has been sentenced to three months in jail for possessing prohibited and harmful skin lightening products in Victoria Falls.

Iris Khumalo (41) of house number 56397 Old Lobengula pleaded guilty to contravening the Medicines and Allied Substances Control Act which criminalises the sale of unregistered medicines when she appeared before Victoria Falls magistrate Ms Lindiwe Maphosa.

The magistrate slapped her with a three-month jail term before suspending one month for five years on condition of good behavior.

The unregistered medicines which include Betasol crèam and lotion, Lemonvate crèam, Epideme crèam, Bronze Tone, Perfect White crèam, Cocopulp Lightning Oil and cream, Carolight crèam, Pure Skin Lotion, Bio Claire and Diproson were forfeited to the State.

Prosecuting, Mrs Sithabile Daka-Mungombe said Khumalo, who was arrested at a roadblock last week on Sunday, wanted to sell the banned products.

“Police deployed at Masuwe roadblock stopped a vehicle that was going towards Hwange and requested to search luggage. The driver had given lift to four passengers. Police found various kinds of unregistered medicines in Khumalo’s bag,” said Mrs Daka-Mungombe.

Khumalo was arrested on the spot.

The skin lightening products are usually smuggled from Zambia through the Victoria Falls border and have a ready market in various towns including Victoria Falls and Bulawayo.

Meanwhile, appearing before the same Victoria Falls court for a different charge was a homeless teenager who was sentenced to an effective four-month jail term for stealing six kilogrammes of sugar and a phone.

Ayanda Moyo (19), of no fixed aboard had been sentenced to a combined seven months in prison for unlawful entry and theft before the magistrate suspended three months from the total sentence.

Moyo broke into Mr Ernest Dube’s house in Chinotimba suburb on Sunday at around 11AM.

Mr Dube, had left the door unlocked.

The phone was recovered after Moyo’s arrest but the sugar valued at $570 was not recovered.

-@ncubeleon

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