Five arrested in Chikwawa over theft of medical drugs

Malawi police in the district of Chikwawa have arrested five people in connection to medical drugs stolen from Nyamithuthu Health Centre in Nsanje district.

Two of the arrested are medical assistants at the health centre.

And the three others namely Precious Phiri, 40, Jimmy Taulo, 30, and Madalitso Sandram, 30, were arrested at Miseu Folo snap roadblock mounted by Chikwawa police on patrols.

National police Media and Public Relations Officer, Nicholas Gondwa said the three attempted to run away when stopped by police.

”They were in a Toyota Rav4 BR1829 and being stopped by officers they ran away, leaving the car behind,” said Gondwa. ”But the officers managed to arrest them”.

The suspects had in the car 25 cartons of neogloves, two cartons of Malaria antigens and a 50 kilograms bag containing assorted medical drugs.

”All the cartons were labelled Nyamithuthu Health Centre, an indication that they were stolen from there”.

Police also arrested custodians of the drugs at the health centre, Martha Kamphanda, 40, and 25-year-old Tapiwa Zakaza.

Further police investigations at Central Medical Stores Trust confirmed the stolen drugs were supplied to the health centre by the office according to the batch numbers.

Kaphanda of Kaomba village in Kasungu and Zakaza of Sitenala village, T/A Kachere in Dedza have been charged with Theft by Public Servant under Section 283 of the Penal Code.

And Phiri, Sandram and Taulo have been charged of theft.