Choma magistrate fines businessman for operating illegal pharmacy
Choma, February 11, ZANIS–The Choma Magistrate court has fined a businessman KR 9000 for operating a pharmacy without a pharmacy registration certificate contrary to the laws of Zambia.
Before Magistrate Jacob Mbolela was Godfrey Litangaji, 45, of Zambia Compound in Choma who pleaded guilty to all the charges.
Litangaji was facing four counts of operating a chemist without a pharmacy registration certificate contrary to the Pharmaceutical Act no 14 of the laws of Zambia.
He was also accused of holding out as a health practitioner contrary to the Health Professions Act of 2009.
Particulars of the offence are that Litangaji trading as LITAZI.COM on unknown date but between 1 January 2012 and 1 February 2013 in Choma jointly and whilst acting together with other unknown persons did operate a pharmacy by way of procuring, selling, compounding, dispensing, packing and labeling some named drugs without a pharmacy registration certificate issued by the pharmaceutical Regulatory Authority.
Other particulars of the offence are that the accused whilst acting together with other unknown persons did examine, advise and offer treatment to Anne Mwiinga mung’omba.
Litangaji was drugged to court by a combined team of inspectors from the Pharmaceutical Regulatory Authority and Health Profession Council of Zambia who had conducted inspections on illegal chemists, pharmacies, drugstores and health facilities in the district.
In mitigation, Litangaji pleaded with the court to exercise lenient on him as he was a first offender and a breadwinner for a big family comprising orphans.
He told the court that he was forced to venture in that business in order to raise money to maintain the family.
In passing judgment Magistrate Mbolela, slapped Litangaji a fine of KR 9000 failure to which he would go to jail.