50K fine or jail term for 25 years old foreign national caught selling abortion pills

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As safe abortion activists struggle to get illegal abortion clinics shutdown, law enforcement agencies also seems to find their hands full with most of these criminals mushrooming everywhere in the country.

Police in the Eastern Cape has however managed to nab one criminal who was also successfully convicted for selling abortion pills.

A 25 years old foreign national, Johan Turyamureba was arrested for numerous charges of contravening the Medicines and Related Substances Act.

The East London based Hawks’ South African Narcotics Enforcement Bureau in an intelligence driven operation together with the East London Crime Intelligence Gathering arrested Johan in August for allegations of selling cytotec tablets to the members of the community in East London.

Hawks Spokesperson in the area Captain Yolisa Mgolodela said that Cytotec tablets are under Schedule 4 category under the Medicine and related substances which is only dealt, sold and distributed by registered medical practitioners or pharmacists.

Mgolodela said that Johan was nabbed following a sting operation where the said pills where bought from the convicted.

“On 27 August 2021, 26 tablets worth R4500-00 were confiscated and Johan was immediately arrested. He made his first court appearance on 30 August 2021 and was convicted after a series of court appearances in the East London Regional Court.”

“He was sentenced to five years direct imprisonment or a R50 000-00 fine. He further received a five-year suspended sentence” Mgolodela.