Police Arrests Public Servants for Stealing at Hospital

Police in Dowa has arrested four public servants for the offence of theft.

Public relations officer of Dowa police Richard Kaponda said the four are suspected to have stolen medical drugs and equipment at Dowa District Hospital.

Kaponda identified the suspects are Kondwani Chibwe a Pharmacy Technician, James Nkhoma the auxiliary nurse, Pearson Tembo a Clinician and Mphatso Malenga a guard at Bowe Health Centre.

“Human Resources Management Officer at Dowa district hospital, Innocent Nyirenda reported the case at Dowa police station. On that day John Levisoni the head watchman at Dowa District Hospital, found the second suspect, James Nkhoma being confronted by another guard while trying to exit the hospital premises carrying a Laptop bag full of suspicious contents while the third suspect, Pearson Tembo, was waiting at the gate with his private car,” explains Kaponda

The guard managed to seize the bag after the second suspect, James Nkhoma failed to lure the guards with K6, 000 as a bribe.

The bag contained various drugs and equipments and one face mask.

Kaponda said Nkhoma revealed that a guard at Bowe Health Centre went to Dowa District Hospital to buy the drugs.

“While still at Bowe trading centre, the Detectives received a tip that some drugs were delivered to Takondwa private clinic owned by Thom Katunga. Following the tip, the clinic was searched and many drugs and equipment were found with batch numbers matching with those of the drugs recovered earlier at Dowa District Hospital,” Kaponda added

Police Detectives also discovered a tiny house at a nearby village where one Laptop bag and 3 cartons full of assorted medical drugs, mosquito nets and equipment were hidden and covered by a mat were recovered including several registers written Ministry of Health which are being suspected to be from government hospitals.

Meanwhile, all the medical drugs and equipment are being kept at Dowa police station pending investigations as police is still hunting for the owner of Takondwa private clinic at Bowe trading centre who is at large.