Durban dentist convicted for patient’s death during unlicensed addiction treatment

A Durban dentist has been convicted of culpable homicide after a patient at his unregistered addiction centre died of a heart attack during an illegal psychedelic substance treatment.

64-year-old Anwar Mohamed Jeewa is a qualified and registered dentist with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA).

He is restricted to performing only in the field of dentistry; however, from 2011 to November 2017, he operated a drug and alcohol treatment facility.

Convicted dentist operated unregistered addition centre

The facility was named the Minds Alive Wellness Centre, and it was in the Westville area of Durban, KwaZulu-Natal(KZN).

According to National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson Natasha Ramkisson-Kara, the 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.

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“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,” Ramkisson-Kara said.

Jeewa advertised himself as a specialist with extensive knowledge of ibogaine therapy for drug addiction.

Ibogaine, classified as a Schedule six substance, is a psychedelic substance found in iboga, a Western African shrub. Historically, it was used in healing ceremonies and initiation rituals in West Africa, but today, some people claim it can be used as a treatment for opiate addiction.

Convicted dentist manufactured preparations containing Ibogaine without a licence

Jeewa 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,” Ramkisson-Kara said.

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The victim in the case, Milos Martinovic, was a Canadian and French citizen who was addicted to Oxycontin (an opiate) and Xanax (known generically as alprazolam). 

Ramkisson-Kara said he learned about the Minds Alive Wellness Centre through its website, and Martinovic contacted Jeewa, whom he believed to be a medical doctor.

Martinovic contacted Jeewa to get Ibogaine therapy for his addiction to opiates and benzodiazepines, and Jeewa agreed to treat him for a fee.

Patient directed to self-medicate without supervision

Martinovic travelled to South Africa for this treatment, and upon his arrival at the facility, the victim had an unknown number of OxyContin tablets and sixteen 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,” Ramkisson-Kara said.

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

“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 the cardiac arrest,” Ramkisson-Kara said.

On Thursday, the High Court in Durban convicted Jeewa of culpable homicide and several other charges relating to the contravention of various sections of the Medicines and Related Substances Act 101 of 1965, namely selling, compounding, or dispensing, manufacturing, and exporting a Schedule 6 substance without holding a licence or being authorised to do so.

R20 000 bail extended

Jeewa was also convicted of establishing and managing an unregistered treatment centre.

After his conviction, Jeewa’s bail of R20 000 was extended, with the condition that he must report three times a week to the Sydenham Police Station.

The case was postponed to 12 September 2024, for arguments and sentences.

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