Racket spawns billionaires
The Herald
By Patience Nyangove
CIGARETTES are keeping many Zimbabwean vehicles on the road and turning some
well-connected businessmen into overnight billionaires.
At the other end of the market, a surprising number of shopping-bag traders
make millions a month.
Both the billionaire oil traders and the lady on the bus with a shopping bag
are smuggling cigarettes from Zimbabwe into South African Customs Union
(Sacu) countries - South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Swaziland and Lesotho.
They sell them there, then buy goods in short supply in Zimbabwe for resale,
thus making a huge profit on both legs of their trading journeys.
At the heart of this smuggling racket is the massive price difference
between cigarettes manufactured in Zimbabwe and those made in Sacu, thanks
to sharply contrasting taxation levels. Cigarettes are about eight times
more expensive in South Africa and its Sacu neighbours than in Zimbabwe.
And Zimbabwean cigarettes are regarded as of good quality. The price is low
because of the much lower taxes. Most countries now charge very high taxes
on tobacco, not to raise revenue, but to make discourage the smoking habit
of its proven serious health effects.
Of course, no one actually gets eight times as much as they paid for a box
of Zimbabwean cigarettes when they smuggle it across the border. South
African smokers willing to pay the full price will buy legal cigarettes.
But there are plenty of dubious and dishonest traders in South Africa - with
Nigerian immigrants well represented, if rumours doing the rounds are true -
who will pay R60 for a carton of 200 Zimbabwean cigarettes -- about four
times the Harare supermarket price -- with no questions asked.
But the smuggler need not despair. He can still double this money from the
dubious trader on returning to Zimbabwe if he buys something that is scarce
in Harare and either for which is chargeable very light Zimbabwean duty or
which can easily be smuggled back home.
Fuel has become a favourite of the big-time smugglers despite its bulk,
thanks to Zimbabwe's policy of charging just 5 percent import duty and
allowing anyone to bring in a maximum of 2 000 litres a time without any
questions asked.
A trader first has to buy about 100 cartons of cigarettes, which will cost
around $30 million in most supermarkets and garages. These then are
concealed in empty tanks on a tanker or drums on a truck and smuggled into
South Africa or Botswana.
Sacu charges R50 a carton duty -- or an incredible R1 for every four
cigarettes -- so no one wants to pay this.
The smuggled cigarettes are sold for around R6 000, which is enough to buy
around 2 000 litres of diesel or petrol which can be taken back in the
tankers and trucks -- legally now -- into Zimbabwe.
The trader just needs a few extra cartons to take care of the hamburgers for
lunch and the modest fuel duty at the border post.
That fuel can be sold in a private deal for $240 million, a rather
spectacular profit on the initial $30 million outlay; and the trip can be
undertaken three times a week.
Those with connections and licences can handle larger volumes, say 20 000
litres, of fuel at a time, bought with 1 000 cartons of smokes. This sees
$300 million turn into $2,4 billion in two days, and explains the discovery
of cigarette-laden tankers at Plumtree.
At the other end of the market is the cross-border trader, smuggling, say,
10 cartons, costing $3 million, into South Africa, selling these for R600,
buying a radio and lunch, and then selling the radio on return to Zimbabwe
for more than $20 million. The only overhead is the bus fare.
The margins are not quite as good as the cigarettes-out/fuel-in trade, but
do provide a significant income.
The most popular brands for smuggling are Remmington Gold, Kingsgate,
Newbury and Berkeley.
The R60 for a carton is only an average price. Depending on how many others
are smuggling that day and which brand is chosen, the South African receiver
will pay anything between R30 and R130 for a carton of 200.
Remmington Gold, the cheapest, fetches between R30 and R100, but then the
carton only costs $220 000 to $240 000 in the Zimbabwe supermarket.
Peter Stuyvesant, an international brand made under licence in Zimbabwe,
costs about $700 000 a carton in Harare, but can be sold for anything
between R120 and R130 down south.
Small-scale smugglers also pack cigarettes on trips to Britain, where a box
of 20 costs almost four pounds, leaving plenty of room to negotiate a good
price for both smuggler and smoker.
But the bigger consignments of smuggled Zimbabwean cigarettes are sent via
South Africa.
Some Zimbabwean cigarettes have even found their way into Iraq, carried from
South Africa by some of the more dubious types travelling to that country.
South African Police Services spokesman for Limpopo Province, Superintendent
Ailwei Mushavhanamadi, said they had so far managed to arrest a considerable
number of Zimbabweans for smuggling cigarettes.
Arrests are made on a daily basis, but it seems that only a small fraction
of the smugglers are actually apprehended.
Moreover, even those caught will just pay a fine, go back home and try again
after buying a new supply.
The offence of tobacco smuggling, while very profitable, is not in the
serious category of trafficking narcotic drugs like mbanje (cannabis) or
cocaine. Imprisonment is not mandatory although a South African court can
impose a maximum sentence of 10 years. But so far caught smugglers have been
paying the R5 000 admission of guilt fine.
The Zimbabwean authorities, who are not really losers in this smuggling
racket, are now co-operating with the Sacu states.
Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) investigators recently intercepted at the
Plumtree border post three fuel tankers, belonging to a company called
Mozangola with South African registration number plates, stuffed with
cigarettes worth more than $8 billion destined for Botswana.
The smugglers paid a $800 million fine and forfeited the tankers and
cigarettes to the State.
At Beitbridge border post, Zimra officials intercepted over 277 boxes of
contraband Remmington Gold cigarettes loaded on a South African-registered
truck towing a fuel tank.
The truck, which was coming from Zambia, was being driven by a Zambian
identified by the police as Godfrey Shamboko, 42.
The contraband had been loaded in Harare.
On arrival at the border post, the truck was taken to the Zimra container
depot for inspection through scanning, leading to the discovery of the
cigarettes.
Another driver, who has since been identified as Musekiwa Nyamadzawo, a
Zimbabwean, was also intercepted at the border post a few days later with
180 cartons of Remmington Gold stuffed under cotton in a truck destined for
South Africa.
Nyamadzawo bolted from the scene, leaving the truck behind. He is still at
large.
Zimra corporate communications manager Ms Priscilla Sadomba said they
encountered numerous cases of cigarette-smuggling syndicates every month.
"We already have baggage scanners and container inspection equipment at
Plumtree border post. Resources permitting, Zimra would want to have
scanners at all entry points," she said.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Open market for goblins
By Brenna Chigonga and Patience Nyangove
Harare
Belief in goblins is still persistent in Zimbabwe, fuelled by a desire for quick riches, fame and power. And there are people ready, for a large fee, to "manufacture" them to feed the desires of the gullible.
And sometimes this "manufacture" will involve more than just a cash fee. Rape, mutilation and even murder have been committed, although few will ever admit to such crimes.
But even "making" goblins would probably be illegal under the Witchcraft Suppression Act, since it is an act of witchcraft. Some of the processes would also be crimes under other laws.
But how easy is it to acquire a "goblin" -- genuine or fake?
Reporters Brenna Chigonga and Patience Nyangove decided to find out.
They report:
We did not even have to travel outside Harare to secure one. It took us just 10 minutes to Harare's Mupedzanhamo flea market in Mbare where "goblins" are sold in broad daylight.
We arrived at the flea market just after lunch-time and, as usual, vendors were busy soliciting for customers and despite it being Good Friday, business was as brisk as ever with scores of people milling around the market, nicknamed "Edgars" for its thriving second-hand clothing business.
We headed for the market's north wing were traditional medicine and artefacts are sold. Just as we were entering that section, a man beckoned to us.
"Huyai ndikubatsirei, hapana chandisina (Come, I will help you with everything)," he said as he lured us to his stall.
As if he knew we were coming, he ushered us to two wooden stools where we sat before he began talking to us in hushed tones.
"I am an assistant of Sekuru Nzaramuroyi, one of the most renowned traditional healers at this flea market. He can do anything for you, so please feel free to share with me your problems."
We looked at each other thinking to ourselves whether this man was genuine or he was one of the conmen Mbare is infamous for.
We decided to try our luck and introduced ourselves as two orphaned siblings in dire need of a financial breakthrough and spiritual guidance.
"We are orphans and for the past few years, we have been having financial problems. We need money -- lots of it -- and we would appreciate if you could give us money-making charms or even a goblin. We do not have much money, but we really need one, sekuru, please help," we begged as the middle-aged Makumbi listened attentively.
He pulled out a box full of charms and goblins: "These are some of the charms that I have at the moment. But as for your problem, I think you need a special goblin. I have to see Sekuru Nzaramuroyi, he will be in a better position to help you since your problem is big vazukuru," he said.
We parted after Makumbi instructed us to come back the following day. He wanted to have time to meet Sekuru Nzaramuroyi.
The following day we were at Mupedzanhamo as arranged and the Makumbi took us straight to Sekuru Nzaramuroyi's residence at Matapi Flats.
As we entered his room, full of herbs and strange charms hanging all over, we were immediately ordered to remove our shoes and jewellery and to switch off our mobile phones.
"Vazukuru vangu mashupika nei? Kumusha kwatadza kugarika, chemai tinzwe," (What seems to be the problem?)" Sekuru Nzaramuroyi asked us.
We quickly told him that we did not need to go into matare (consultations).
"Zvakanaka vazukuru saka ndokupayi chikwambo ichi chandakarara ndichibika nemitombo yakabva pasi kwenyika, kumusha kwendarama (It's fine, I will give you this goblin that I made last night using medicines from a far away land were gold and silver are in abundance)," he said.
The "goblin" was a scary-looking object, a fierce doll made up of a black cloth, animal hide and beads.
We were instructed not to eat chicken for the rest of our lives, tell no one about this "goblin" and prepare a safe, comfortable place where we would keep it.
We would also need to perform rituals every year and pay homage to the "goblin" so that it would continue blessing us.
A special cloth popularly known in Shona as retso was to be used to wrap the goblin.
To protect ourselves, we asked about the correct method of disposing of the "goblin" if we no longer wanted it.
"Munotobika doro kwofa mombe nomwe kupira kuchikwambo ichi, mondidaidza kuzochenura musha (You have to prepare traditional beer and kill seven head of cattle so as to cleanse the family," Sekuru Nzaramuroyi said.
"But how then are we going to plant the goblin?" we asked Sekuru.
"Izvozvi chakatoguta nesimba, munouya kuzonditora pano toenda kunochiomberera kumusha. Ipapo munozochipa zita chotanga kushanda (The goblin is already fuming with power, take it home and anytime you feel free, come and take me to your homestead so that we perform the last ritual,)" he said confidently.
We paid $890 000 for our newly acquired "asset" and left Sekuru Nzaramuroyi's tiny room before we locked up the strange-looking "creature" in the back of our pick-up truck.
We then took the "goblin" to Zinatha.
The organisation's deputy secretary for administration and information, Mr Tapera Dzviti, said the purported "goblin" was nothing more than a fake pixie made from baboon hide, beads, a traditional clay plate and African potato.
"This goblin is not genuine. As Zinatha we are aware that there has been mushrooming of fake n'angas that sell fake goblins," Mr Dzviti said.
He said the real thing was made up of different animal hides, herbs, cooking oil and human parts.
Mr Dzviti said the most common human parts used were fingers, hair or bones.
A genuine goblin should talk the way a human being does.
"A real goblin has powers that allow it to talk because it is made from a dead person's spirit. During the making of the goblin the traditional healer goes to the grave of the dead person they want to raise and conduct the ritual," Mr Dzviti said.
He accused greedy people of forcing goblins to take human life.
"At first when one acquires a goblin, this thing does not cause any deaths in the family because it does not require blood to perform supernatural acts.
"It becomes rebellious and turns to human blood when its owner refuses to return it to its original owner (traditional healer)," Mr Dzviti said.
He also explained the differences between a goblin (chikwambo), tokoloshi and chidhoma.
"A tokoloshi is made from a cat and is mainly used to spy on people or attack them, while chidhoma is made using the remains of small children. That's why it speaks like a child. It is mainly used to kill people.
"A chikwambo is mainly used to safeguard people, make them rich and famous in various disciplines," Mr Dzviti said.
Harare
Belief in goblins is still persistent in Zimbabwe, fuelled by a desire for quick riches, fame and power. And there are people ready, for a large fee, to "manufacture" them to feed the desires of the gullible.
And sometimes this "manufacture" will involve more than just a cash fee. Rape, mutilation and even murder have been committed, although few will ever admit to such crimes.
But even "making" goblins would probably be illegal under the Witchcraft Suppression Act, since it is an act of witchcraft. Some of the processes would also be crimes under other laws.
But how easy is it to acquire a "goblin" -- genuine or fake?
Reporters Brenna Chigonga and Patience Nyangove decided to find out.
They report:
We did not even have to travel outside Harare to secure one. It took us just 10 minutes to Harare's Mupedzanhamo flea market in Mbare where "goblins" are sold in broad daylight.
We arrived at the flea market just after lunch-time and, as usual, vendors were busy soliciting for customers and despite it being Good Friday, business was as brisk as ever with scores of people milling around the market, nicknamed "Edgars" for its thriving second-hand clothing business.
We headed for the market's north wing were traditional medicine and artefacts are sold. Just as we were entering that section, a man beckoned to us.
"Huyai ndikubatsirei, hapana chandisina (Come, I will help you with everything)," he said as he lured us to his stall.
As if he knew we were coming, he ushered us to two wooden stools where we sat before he began talking to us in hushed tones.
"I am an assistant of Sekuru Nzaramuroyi, one of the most renowned traditional healers at this flea market. He can do anything for you, so please feel free to share with me your problems."
We looked at each other thinking to ourselves whether this man was genuine or he was one of the conmen Mbare is infamous for.
We decided to try our luck and introduced ourselves as two orphaned siblings in dire need of a financial breakthrough and spiritual guidance.
"We are orphans and for the past few years, we have been having financial problems. We need money -- lots of it -- and we would appreciate if you could give us money-making charms or even a goblin. We do not have much money, but we really need one, sekuru, please help," we begged as the middle-aged Makumbi listened attentively.
He pulled out a box full of charms and goblins: "These are some of the charms that I have at the moment. But as for your problem, I think you need a special goblin. I have to see Sekuru Nzaramuroyi, he will be in a better position to help you since your problem is big vazukuru," he said.
We parted after Makumbi instructed us to come back the following day. He wanted to have time to meet Sekuru Nzaramuroyi.
The following day we were at Mupedzanhamo as arranged and the Makumbi took us straight to Sekuru Nzaramuroyi's residence at Matapi Flats.
As we entered his room, full of herbs and strange charms hanging all over, we were immediately ordered to remove our shoes and jewellery and to switch off our mobile phones.
"Vazukuru vangu mashupika nei? Kumusha kwatadza kugarika, chemai tinzwe," (What seems to be the problem?)" Sekuru Nzaramuroyi asked us.
We quickly told him that we did not need to go into matare (consultations).
"Zvakanaka vazukuru saka ndokupayi chikwambo ichi chandakarara ndichibika nemitombo yakabva pasi kwenyika, kumusha kwendarama (It's fine, I will give you this goblin that I made last night using medicines from a far away land were gold and silver are in abundance)," he said.
The "goblin" was a scary-looking object, a fierce doll made up of a black cloth, animal hide and beads.
We were instructed not to eat chicken for the rest of our lives, tell no one about this "goblin" and prepare a safe, comfortable place where we would keep it.
We would also need to perform rituals every year and pay homage to the "goblin" so that it would continue blessing us.
A special cloth popularly known in Shona as retso was to be used to wrap the goblin.
To protect ourselves, we asked about the correct method of disposing of the "goblin" if we no longer wanted it.
"Munotobika doro kwofa mombe nomwe kupira kuchikwambo ichi, mondidaidza kuzochenura musha (You have to prepare traditional beer and kill seven head of cattle so as to cleanse the family," Sekuru Nzaramuroyi said.
"But how then are we going to plant the goblin?" we asked Sekuru.
"Izvozvi chakatoguta nesimba, munouya kuzonditora pano toenda kunochiomberera kumusha. Ipapo munozochipa zita chotanga kushanda (The goblin is already fuming with power, take it home and anytime you feel free, come and take me to your homestead so that we perform the last ritual,)" he said confidently.
We paid $890 000 for our newly acquired "asset" and left Sekuru Nzaramuroyi's tiny room before we locked up the strange-looking "creature" in the back of our pick-up truck.
We then took the "goblin" to Zinatha.
The organisation's deputy secretary for administration and information, Mr Tapera Dzviti, said the purported "goblin" was nothing more than a fake pixie made from baboon hide, beads, a traditional clay plate and African potato.
"This goblin is not genuine. As Zinatha we are aware that there has been mushrooming of fake n'angas that sell fake goblins," Mr Dzviti said.
He said the real thing was made up of different animal hides, herbs, cooking oil and human parts.
Mr Dzviti said the most common human parts used were fingers, hair or bones.
A genuine goblin should talk the way a human being does.
"A real goblin has powers that allow it to talk because it is made from a dead person's spirit. During the making of the goblin the traditional healer goes to the grave of the dead person they want to raise and conduct the ritual," Mr Dzviti said.
He accused greedy people of forcing goblins to take human life.
"At first when one acquires a goblin, this thing does not cause any deaths in the family because it does not require blood to perform supernatural acts.
"It becomes rebellious and turns to human blood when its owner refuses to return it to its original owner (traditional healer)," Mr Dzviti said.
He also explained the differences between a goblin (chikwambo), tokoloshi and chidhoma.
"A tokoloshi is made from a cat and is mainly used to spy on people or attack them, while chidhoma is made using the remains of small children. That's why it speaks like a child. It is mainly used to kill people.
"A chikwambo is mainly used to safeguard people, make them rich and famous in various disciplines," Mr Dzviti said.
My encounter with the abortionists
Thursday, 27 August 2009
DISGUISED as a single woman who was four weeks pregnant and had just been jilted by her lover over an unwanted pregnancy, I contacted gynaecologist Dr Matti Kimberg who runs a practice in Eros.
After managing to quickly scrap a Tuesday 25 August, 08h45 appointment by literary begging Dr Kimberg who was said to be fully booked until October I to slot me in, I arrived at his offices 15 minutes late and had to wait for two hours.
After a boring two hour wait my name was called in to see the doctor.
Once in his office, I was told to sit down and wait for the busy and highly sort out gynaecologist.
After some minutes, Dr Kimberg came in and I told him my “dilemma”.
He then asked what my age was, whether I have had any children before, had been tested for HIV and whether I was certain I wanted to terminate the pregnancy.
After answering and assuring him that I was certain of getting rid of the pregnancy I was told to strip to the bone and put on a peach/orange gown and lie on the examining bed.
Dr Kimberg examined my stomach, while I silently prayed that my big tummy would fool him into believing that, indeed, there was a life growing inside me.
For the first time, I was grateful to have a sagging tummy since Dr Kimberg presumed I was pregnant.
He asked me to open my legs wide and like a little girl, I shyly obliged when he assured me there was nothing to worry about.
Dr Kimberg inserted four Cytotec tablets into my vagina making sure they were deposited near the cervix and he gave me another one with instructions of putting it under my tongue and swallow the spit only.
After that, he wrote me a prescription for buying pain killers to ease the pain caused by the side effects of the drug during the abortion process.
The side effects, I was warned, included stomach cramps, diarrhoea and nausea.
True to his word two hours later I was down with diarrhoea and stomach cramps.
The doctor had instructed me to return to the surgery today at 13h00 for a check up.
“You should not worry. From now on, the pregnancy will be terminated like a bad period. You are to take these four other tablets at two hour intervals by putting them under your tongue and swallowing the spit,” he said.
Despite not being pregnant, the abortion process kicked in almost four hours later when I started bleeding.
However, when I bought and took the Synap Forte pain killers Dr Kimberg had prescribed, I felt better much to my relief for the pain had become excruciating.
A week before visiting Dr Kimberg, I had another near-brush with Dr Kenny Abrahams of Khomasdal.
Dr. Abrahams is also the employer of the street drug kingpin only known as Lanie.
I went to see Dr Abrahams who charges N$1,510 for an abortion at his surgery after securing a 17h00 appointment. I was also posing as a four-week pregnant student.
Once at the surgery, the secretary instructed me to fill out a form with my personal details and what I was suffering from.
After filling the form stating that I had severe stomach problems, the secretary asked me, without any hesitation, how far I was with my pregnancy.
Trying to suppress my surprise at being asked such a personal question on something illegal, I told her I was four weeks pregnant.
She told me to sit down and wait for the doctor. After an excruciating two-hour wait, I was called into a room that turned out to be an administrative office where with another lady who had also come for an abortion, we were instructed to pay the N$1,510 each for the abortion.
When I told the secretary that I did not have the required N$1,510, I was then told to leave and come back when I had the full amount.
However, before I left I quickly asked the other lady who also wanted to abort why she was doing it.
“My boyfriend is a married man and I can’t keep the baby,” she said.
Illegal abortion network unearthed in Namibia
A two-week Informanté investigation by Patience Nyangove into the abortion underworld has unearthed a world of errant doctors, pharmacists, drug kingpins who are making a killing.
Doctors induce abortions without batting eye lids while pharmacists sell abortion pills over the counter and drug kingpins are also selling the tablets like airtime.
Last week, the investigation took Informanté to Dr Kenny Abrahams’ Khomasdal surgery. Dr Abrahams was more than ready to initiate the abortion process but the reporter had no money at the time.
This week, the reporter visited a respected gynaecologist Dr Matti Kimberg’s practice in Eros where the reporter underwent an abortion process after the insertion of four tablets through the vagina and one that was sucked.
The investigation comes after several reports of young women who had successfully aborted although the practice is still illegal in Namibia.
Informanté discovered that abortion drug - Cytotec or Misoprostol – is readily available on the streets of Windhoek while in the North, abortion doctors still use forceps to kill the foetus.
A network of errant doctors, pharmacists and drug kingpins involved are making a killing from facilitating these abortions and the illegal sale of drugs for as little as N$100 to as much as N$1,500.
Clinically Cytotec or Misoprostol is used for the prevention of gastric ulcers, however, in Namibia it is now commonly used to induce labour and cause a person to miscarry or abort the baby.
According to an Oshakati-based pharmaceutical, Cytotec can only be bought with a doctor’s prescription, the details of which are entered into the pharmacy’s database.
“A professional doctor will insist that a woman undergoes a pregnancy test before prescribing Cytotec. The drug should under no circumstances be prescribed to a pregnant woman because it can cause great harm to the expecting mother or to the growing foetus, and in some cases causes natural abortions. That’s why when we get a doctor’s prescription for the drug, we always enter the doctor’s details in our system for future scrutiny,” said the pharmaceutical.
In August 2000, Searle—the manufacturer of Misoprostol or Cytotec warned against the use of Misoprostol in pregnant women. In addition to citing the abortifacient nature of the drug, the company cited reports of uterine rupture and death associated with using Misoprostol to induce labour.
Taking Misoprostol 200 µg tablet by mouth four times a day results in diarrhoea, abdominal pains, nausea, flatulence, headache, dyspepsia, vomiting and constipation.
From pharmacists, surgery employees to medical doctors who illegally keep the abortion tread mill running, an abortion is an easy process as long as one has the money.
A Cytotec tablet sells for N$100 and pharmacists are making a killing by selling a packet of 56 tablets for as much as N$5,250 after buying it for less than N$350.
An encounter with a street kingpin, Lanie, was at Dr Abrahams’ surgery in Khomasdal where this reporter was told that the doctor could perform the abortion.
“The doctor does abortions here but he charges N$1,500. He is expensive, however, I know a guy who can sell you abortion tablets for N$800,” said Lanie who introduced himself as a stock controller.
Since the reporter did not have the money, she arranged to meet Lanie later to buy the drugs and she met him she bought five Cytotec tablets for N$700 instead of the N$800 they had originally agreed to.
The reporter was instructed to drink two of the tablets and insert three into her vagina.
When she asked him why she had to insert the three tablets and drink two, Lanie said it was to increase “pressure” on the uterus to begin labour contractions.
According to Lanie, most of his clients are students from Windhoek’s colleges and universities, impregnated by sugar daddies or those whose boyfriends would have denied paternity and are afraid of being stigmatised for falling pregnant outside wedlock.
When asked what she should do in an event that she developed complications during the abortion, Lanie instructed the reporter not to go and seek medical help from any doctor or health institution but to come back to him for help.
Lanie also gave the reporter Ranclav 375 antibiotics tablets with instructions to take them thrice daily for five days.
He also wrote a medical certificate for her employer certifying that she could not come to work as she was sick.
After quizzing Lanie on the safety of the abortion, the reporter was told that the drugs were perfectly safe because his girlfriend had used them to abort a two-month pregnancy.
“She is the mother of my child and it really pained me that I had to abort our baby. But you see she got pregnant when our first child was still so young and I could barely take care of them hence we decided to terminate the pregnancy.”
In the Northern regions of the country, girls that have undergone backstreet abortions have had to go through more painful procedures as the use of Cytotec is rare and almost unheard of.
For the few that can afford to undergo an illegal abortion, which normally costs as much as N$2,000 or more, a sharp, long metal object is inserted through the vagina to ‘provoke’ the foetus, inevitably leading to a miscarriage.
“When I went through this very painful procedure I was told by the doctor to go to the hospital for treatment once I experienced intensive vaginal bleeding. When I got to the hospital, the hospital staff ruled my abortion as a miscarriage because they didn’t know the difference,” said a girl who underwent an illegal abortion earlier this year.
When contacted for comment on why he was carrying out illegal abortions Dr Abrahams refused to comment on the issue.
“I have no comment,” Abrahams said.
After pressing him, Dr Abrahams who for the better part of Tuesday last week, was said to be still sleeping until 14h00 said it was his right to choose not to comment.
Lanie who works for Abrahams as a “stock controller” and also sells the Cytotec drugs denied ever selling any abortion drugs to this reporter.
“Me, I am sorry, I don’t know anything about what you are saying. I don’t know anything about this, I was not even in town last week,” Lanie said.
However the pharmacist who also illegally sells Cytotec drugs to women without a prescription admitted to Informanté that she does it.
“I do sell the drugs to help my friends, however I only do it after in some cases after assessing how far one’s pregnancy is. I know the severe side effects of this drug but what can I do, I need the money,” she said.
When Informanté volunteered to give the Ministry of Health evidence and help in unearthing and making a stop to the illegal abortions, its spokesperson gave a laissez-faire attitude, saying the “homework you are giving me is beyond my scope”.
The Ministry of Health’s public relations officer Gladys Kamboo said although they were serious allegations Informanté was bringing to their attention she professed ignorance over whether abortions were indeed being conducted in Windhoek.
“This is very serious, if indeed these things are happening. We are not aware of this and if people are doing this it’s their problem, they are acting out of their own scope,” she said.
Doctors induce abortions without batting eye lids while pharmacists sell abortion pills over the counter and drug kingpins are also selling the tablets like airtime.
Last week, the investigation took Informanté to Dr Kenny Abrahams’ Khomasdal surgery. Dr Abrahams was more than ready to initiate the abortion process but the reporter had no money at the time.
This week, the reporter visited a respected gynaecologist Dr Matti Kimberg’s practice in Eros where the reporter underwent an abortion process after the insertion of four tablets through the vagina and one that was sucked.
The investigation comes after several reports of young women who had successfully aborted although the practice is still illegal in Namibia.
Informanté discovered that abortion drug - Cytotec or Misoprostol – is readily available on the streets of Windhoek while in the North, abortion doctors still use forceps to kill the foetus.
A network of errant doctors, pharmacists and drug kingpins involved are making a killing from facilitating these abortions and the illegal sale of drugs for as little as N$100 to as much as N$1,500.
Clinically Cytotec or Misoprostol is used for the prevention of gastric ulcers, however, in Namibia it is now commonly used to induce labour and cause a person to miscarry or abort the baby.
According to an Oshakati-based pharmaceutical, Cytotec can only be bought with a doctor’s prescription, the details of which are entered into the pharmacy’s database.
“A professional doctor will insist that a woman undergoes a pregnancy test before prescribing Cytotec. The drug should under no circumstances be prescribed to a pregnant woman because it can cause great harm to the expecting mother or to the growing foetus, and in some cases causes natural abortions. That’s why when we get a doctor’s prescription for the drug, we always enter the doctor’s details in our system for future scrutiny,” said the pharmaceutical.
In August 2000, Searle—the manufacturer of Misoprostol or Cytotec warned against the use of Misoprostol in pregnant women. In addition to citing the abortifacient nature of the drug, the company cited reports of uterine rupture and death associated with using Misoprostol to induce labour.
Taking Misoprostol 200 µg tablet by mouth four times a day results in diarrhoea, abdominal pains, nausea, flatulence, headache, dyspepsia, vomiting and constipation.
From pharmacists, surgery employees to medical doctors who illegally keep the abortion tread mill running, an abortion is an easy process as long as one has the money.
A Cytotec tablet sells for N$100 and pharmacists are making a killing by selling a packet of 56 tablets for as much as N$5,250 after buying it for less than N$350.
An encounter with a street kingpin, Lanie, was at Dr Abrahams’ surgery in Khomasdal where this reporter was told that the doctor could perform the abortion.
“The doctor does abortions here but he charges N$1,500. He is expensive, however, I know a guy who can sell you abortion tablets for N$800,” said Lanie who introduced himself as a stock controller.
Since the reporter did not have the money, she arranged to meet Lanie later to buy the drugs and she met him she bought five Cytotec tablets for N$700 instead of the N$800 they had originally agreed to.
The reporter was instructed to drink two of the tablets and insert three into her vagina.
When she asked him why she had to insert the three tablets and drink two, Lanie said it was to increase “pressure” on the uterus to begin labour contractions.
According to Lanie, most of his clients are students from Windhoek’s colleges and universities, impregnated by sugar daddies or those whose boyfriends would have denied paternity and are afraid of being stigmatised for falling pregnant outside wedlock.
When asked what she should do in an event that she developed complications during the abortion, Lanie instructed the reporter not to go and seek medical help from any doctor or health institution but to come back to him for help.
Lanie also gave the reporter Ranclav 375 antibiotics tablets with instructions to take them thrice daily for five days.
He also wrote a medical certificate for her employer certifying that she could not come to work as she was sick.
After quizzing Lanie on the safety of the abortion, the reporter was told that the drugs were perfectly safe because his girlfriend had used them to abort a two-month pregnancy.
“She is the mother of my child and it really pained me that I had to abort our baby. But you see she got pregnant when our first child was still so young and I could barely take care of them hence we decided to terminate the pregnancy.”
In the Northern regions of the country, girls that have undergone backstreet abortions have had to go through more painful procedures as the use of Cytotec is rare and almost unheard of.
For the few that can afford to undergo an illegal abortion, which normally costs as much as N$2,000 or more, a sharp, long metal object is inserted through the vagina to ‘provoke’ the foetus, inevitably leading to a miscarriage.
“When I went through this very painful procedure I was told by the doctor to go to the hospital for treatment once I experienced intensive vaginal bleeding. When I got to the hospital, the hospital staff ruled my abortion as a miscarriage because they didn’t know the difference,” said a girl who underwent an illegal abortion earlier this year.
When contacted for comment on why he was carrying out illegal abortions Dr Abrahams refused to comment on the issue.
“I have no comment,” Abrahams said.
After pressing him, Dr Abrahams who for the better part of Tuesday last week, was said to be still sleeping until 14h00 said it was his right to choose not to comment.
Lanie who works for Abrahams as a “stock controller” and also sells the Cytotec drugs denied ever selling any abortion drugs to this reporter.
“Me, I am sorry, I don’t know anything about what you are saying. I don’t know anything about this, I was not even in town last week,” Lanie said.
However the pharmacist who also illegally sells Cytotec drugs to women without a prescription admitted to Informanté that she does it.
“I do sell the drugs to help my friends, however I only do it after in some cases after assessing how far one’s pregnancy is. I know the severe side effects of this drug but what can I do, I need the money,” she said.
When Informanté volunteered to give the Ministry of Health evidence and help in unearthing and making a stop to the illegal abortions, its spokesperson gave a laissez-faire attitude, saying the “homework you are giving me is beyond my scope”.
The Ministry of Health’s public relations officer Gladys Kamboo said although they were serious allegations Informanté was bringing to their attention she professed ignorance over whether abortions were indeed being conducted in Windhoek.
“This is very serious, if indeed these things are happening. We are not aware of this and if people are doing this it’s their problem, they are acting out of their own scope,” she said.
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