Health
COVID-19 kit thieves jailed three years.
THREE employees at Chipata level-one hospital who stole COVID-19 kits worth over K2million at a height of the corona virus pandemic in 2022 have been jailed three years imprisonment with hard labour. The trio, who include two laboratory and biomedical technicians and a driver, were…
Picture: Mwebantu
THREE employees at Chipata level-one hospital who stole COVID-19 kits worth over K2million at a height of the corona virus pandemic in 2022 have been jailed three years imprisonment with hard labour.
The trio, who include two laboratory and biomedical technicians and a driver, were jailed alongside a volunteer at the hospital who was imprisoned for two years with hard labour.
Lusaka resident magistrate Anna Holland was disappointed that the accused abused the trust bestowed on them by the State to handle medical supplies which they instead stole the essential medical supplies.
“I must remind you that this is a very serious offence [theft by public servant] attracting upto 15 years imprisonment,” the adjudicator said before imposing the sentence.
The accused are Judith Dzekedzeke, 46, a biomedical laboratory technician, Malama Nkhata, 44, a driver, Langson Kampango, 54, a biomedical laboratory technician.
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Hilton Kasanyika, 28, a station handman, worked as a volunteer at the public hospital.
Between January 1, 2022 and March 30,2023, the four, while employed in the Ministry of Health, stole COVID-19 kits and other medical supplies worth K2, 834,777.
The trio were charged with theft by public servant while Kasanyika was charged with theft, allegations the quartet denied before the State called a total of 12 witnesses to testify against them.
Peter Lakonde, a pharmacist working for Zambia Medicines and Medical Supplies Agency (ZAMMSA) narrated how he received reported of the theft.
Mr Lakonde said on March 13, 2023, as national coordinator for task force against theft, he received a report from Matero Police station that suspects were apprehended for allegedly stealing medical supplies from a Government hospital.
When he met the investigations officer, the witness was shown the stolen assorted medical supplies, which he was able to identify.
Two other witnesses, among them Miriam Chiwena, a pharmacist and logistics manager at Ministry of Health headquarters, said on March 19, 2023, officers from Matero Police Station asked her to identify some medical commodities.
Ms Chiwena said she confirmed having identified the various medical commodities including COVID-19 kits, contraceptives, and other items, which belong to the Ministry of Health.
He narrated that he established that each of the accused persons played a role in the theft of the medical supplies in issue.
Evidence further showed that Kampango and Nkhata, as a general work and driver, would collect the supplies and deliver.
The court also heard the some of the stolen medical supplies, which were ordered from ZAMMSA but not delivered to Chawama Hospital, were found in Nkhata’s house.
Before incarcerating the convicts, the magistrate Holland noted that their actions compromised provision of healthcare since the drugs were stolen during a period when the nation was attacked by the COVID-19 pandemic.
(Mwebantu, Thursday, 13th March, 2025)
Source: Mwebantu — Read more
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