Suspended health officials in Karonga drag council officials to court

Five health officials recently suspended from work in Karonga district, north of Malawi for alleged swindling hospital funds, have dragged the district council and all concern parties to court.

The five are Malani Nyirenda (District Nursing Officer ), Alex Chilombo (Administrator), Mavuto Kawonga (Human Resource), Stuart Chirambo (Procurement officer) and Donald Kamwela (Maintenance officer).

Junior workers at the hospital are also accusing the five for stealing the engine for district’s ambulance.

Karonga district council together with the District Commissioner (DC) Richard Hara suspended the five senior health workers in order to restore peace at the hospital.

This was after the junior staff boycotted their works and blocked the hospital main entrance gate.

“We have resolved to suspend the five for fourteen days pending a commission of inquiry,” Hara said earlier.

However, the accused have challenged the council’s decision to the Lilongwe High Court.

Lawyer for the group, Wesley Mwafulirwa said a telephone interview the the case will be held at Lilongwe High Court on October 12, 2017.

Mwafulirwa said the council’s decision was against the country’s Constitution as well as an infringement on the rights of his clients.

For instance, Mwafulirwa said only the country’s President is allowed to establish the commission of inquiry hence the council violated such law.

He also said that the council did not invite his clients to hear their side of the story.

“We shall meet with them in the Lilongwe high court on October 12, this year. We want justice to prevail,” said Mwafulirwa.

Karonga district commissioner was not picking his mobile phone when contacted to comment.

Meanwhile, the junior workers at the hospital have threatened to start boycotting their work on Tuesday due to the council failure to disclose findings of the inquiry.

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