The Durban High Court on Thursday, August 22, convicted Durban-based dentist, Anwar Mohamed Jeewa (64) of culpable homicide and several other charges relating to the contravention of various sections of the Medicines and Related Substances Act, namely selling, compounding, or dispensing, manufacturing, and exporting of a Schedule 6 substance without holding a licence or being authorised to do so.

According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), Jeewa was also convicted of establishing and managing an unregistered treatment centre.

“Jeewa is a qualified dentist, who is registered as such with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA). In being so qualified, he is restricted to performing professional acts only in the field of dentistry. However, from 2011 to November 2017, he operated a drug and alcohol treatment/ detoxification facility under the name of Minds Alive Wellness Centre, in the Westville area. This facility was not registered with the Department of Social Development as a treatment centre nor was it registered with the Department of Health as a detoxification centre. Jeewa was aware that such registration was a prerequisite to operating such a facility. The Minds Alive website contained information relating to the services offered by the centre and by Jeewa,” said NPA’s regional spokesperson, Natasha Ramkisson-Kara.

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Jeewa is said to have advertised himself as a specialist with extensive knowledge in Ibogaine therapy for drug addiction.

Ramkisson-Kara added, “He also attended several conferences on the use of Ibogaine where he was advised and himself advised others that Ibogaine should not be used to treat an addiction to benzodiazepines. While Jeewa was authorised to import a dry plant material (Tabermanthe Iboga) for research purposes, he used this dry plant material to manufacture preparations containing Ibogaine without a licence to do so. He further dispensed, sold, and exported such preparations without a licence or other authorisation to do so.”

The deceased, Milos Martinovic, was a Canadian and French citizen, who was addicted to Oxycontin (an opiate) and Xanax (known generically as alprazolam). Alprazolam is a benzodiazepine medication commonly prescribed for the treatment of anxiety and panic disorder.

Martinovic learned of Minds Alive through its website and contacted Jeewa, whom he believed to be a medical doctor.

“Martinovic reached out to Jeewa to obtain Ibogaine therapy for his addiction to opiates and benzodiazepines. Jeewa agreed to treat him for a fee,” Ramkisson-Kara said.

She further revealed that Martinovic travelled to South Africa for this treatment and on his arrival at Minds Alive, he had an unknown number of OxyContin tablets, and 16 boxes of Xanax which Jeewa allowed him to keep.

“Jeewa told him to continue taking the OxyContin and Xanax tablets to avoid the withdrawal symptoms associated with the abrupt discontinuation of a drug but to try to reduce his intake in preparation for the Ibogaine therapy. Jeewa effectively directed Martinovic to self-medicate with no supervision, she added.

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On November 7, 2017, Martinovic was admitted to Minds Alive, and an enrolled nurse, administered Ibogaine capsules to him, under Jeewa’s instruction.

”She gave him three to four separate doses. At some point, following the administration of the last dose of Ibogaine, Martinovic went into cardiac arrest and subsequently died. During the treatment, Martinovic was not adequately monitored and there was an ineffective emergency response after he experienced cardiac arrest,” she concluded.

Following Jeewa’s conviction, his bail of R20, 000 was extended, with conditions that he must report thrice weekly to the Sydenham police station. The case was adjourned to September 12, 2024, for arguments and sentence.