A Durban dentist, Anwar Mohamed Jeewa, who was convicted of culpable homicide following the death of a patient at his illegally operated drug treatment centre, was sentenced to a term of correctional supervision in the Durban High Court today(Thursday).
In November 2017, Milo Martinovic, 26, a Canadian and French citizen, sought help at the Mind’s Alive Wellness Centre in Westville, of which Jeewa was the founder and director.
During the trial, it emerged that on his arrival at the centre, Martinovic, who was battling an addiction to opiates and benzodiazepines, was in possession of an unknown number of OxyContin tablets and several boxes of Xanax, which Jeewa allowed him to keep.
It was heard that he was instructed by Jeewa to continue taking the OxyContin and Xanax tablets so as 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.
On the evening of November 7, Martinovic, who had been self-medicating on OxyContin and Xanax, had been administered ibogaine capsules in three to four separate doses, by an enrolled nurse.
At some point following the administration of the last dose of ibogaine, Martinovic went into cardiac arrest.
At the time, the only person on duty at the centre was the enrolled nurse, who failed to employ the emergency response measures as per standardised SA Resuscitation Council guidelines, and delayed calling for assistance.
The court heard that Jeewa, who arrived at the premises in response to the enrolled nurse’s call for assistance, also failed to undertake a proper resuscitation of Martinovic as he was required to do.
A post-mortem established that Martinovic’s death was a “drug associated death consistent with Alprazolam overdose”.
Jeewa, 63, of Morningside, was sentenced to three years of correctional supervision, with stringent conditions.
Among these include being confined to his residence at all times except between 6am and 6pm - on weekdays, and between 7am and 1pm - on a Saturday.
He is also only permitted to leave his residence for his work as dentist, for shopping and religious purposes.
Jeewa will also have to perform 25 hours of community service per month - whereby he will render his services as a dentist at the Westville Prison.
Jeewa, who was also convicted for unlawfully selling, compounding, manufacturing and exporting ibogaine or preparations containing ibogaine, without holding a licence or being otherwise authorised to do so, was ordered to pay a fine of R50 000 or serve a five year term of imprisonment.
The father two, aged 24 and 22, who was also convicted for contravening the Prevention and Treatment For Substance Abuse Act, where he intentionally established and managed an unregistered treatment centre, was sentenced to pay a fine of R10 000 or serve a one year term of imprisonment, wholly suspended for five years.