Malawi Police in Phalombe have arrested a 37 year old man for being found with drugs and other medical items worth over a million Kwacha.
The suspect has been identified as Hopkins Mkwate who works as a Medical Assistant (MA) at Mpasa Health Centre under Ministry of Health (MoH).
Confirming the development to Malawi24 in an interview, Phalombe Police Station’s spokesperson, Innocent Moses, said they found the drugs and other things in the suspect’s house.
“We found a lot of drugs of which some were sealed in cartons and other medical assorted items and also hospital mattresses which were in the kitchen of the suspect’s house,” he said.
Earlier on before the seizure of the things, there was a commotion at the house of the suspect as the community wanted to search in the house itself after suspecting that he keeps drugs and sells them to some illegal dealers.
Mpasa Ward Councillor Damson Chiphaka revealed to this publication that some months ago they setup a group to be monitoring Mkwate who most times was seen with strange faces at his home.
He added that on Wednesday his team noticed a strange man who is believed to have been buying drugs from the Medical Assistant.
The stranger entered the house with an empty bag but when he was getting out the bag was full.
“Then they called me and I advised them to get some extra people to surround the officer’s house and then some of the people rushed to inform some police officers who were on patrol but they refused to enter into the house of the suspect since they had no search warrant,” explained Chiphaka.
The Councillor then added that he had to call the Officer in Charge for Phalombe Police Station who later rushed to the scene with some officers and seized all the medical related items which were in the house and nabbed the suspect.
Meantime, Mkwate has been charged with theft by servant contrary to section 283 of the penal code and according to the police he is expected to appear in court soon after investigations into the matter have been done.
However, Malawi24 understands that the District’s Health Office (DHO) a couple of days ago wrote a letter of transfer for the suspect to move out of the facility to Phalombe Health Centre following many allegations made against him on how he execute his charges.
The suspect hails from Mukhala Village in the area of the traditional authority Mabuka in Mulanje district.
Yachepa 5yrs bwanji 12yrz
Stupid comments from stupid malawians
Ungothokoza kuti MCP siiri boma zochitsiru izi kudalibe
A health worker need to be found with those drugs coz their salaries are not enough to support their daily living so they are compesating,,, its normal,,,
They are not falsed to work in government. They can resign and look for green pasture in private sectors. that’s not the way of solving problems
No one cannot plant a groundlawn around ur house,, if u want ur house to glitter with green u juxt do it urself faster than looking for somebody to do it..
ndiye ndizotu agwidwa. off course amati mbuzi imadya pomwe amaimangilira but malo ena amakhala angozi look now he lost a job, further more to prison. His family won a suffer now
Chilichonse chimakhala ndzosatila,,even good acts can resut into bad situations,, bad acts presenting with gud results,, xo nowhere to run away from bad,,thats how lyf iz,,
Wankachisi amadya za nkachisi
chipatala ndi chachingono chilibe storage space yokwanila nkani anaganiza zokasungako ena kunyumba kwake,,ndi mvulayi kungowasiya posakhala bwino anakanyowa
Ku chipatala nkumatiuza kuti tikagule Ku pharmacy, idiots!
5yrs pliz,anthu azivutika kumawalembela akagule mankhwala ena Ku pvt, farmacy ili nyumba mwake?
Tikukhara m’dziko la anthu opanda umunthu, chikondi, kukhulupilika ndi chilungamo
Release him and let his immediate superior discipline him. Why should it be small fishes only being jailed, when kingpins in this racket are left scotfree. We had the whole DHO in a district next to this 2yrs or so ago caught redhanded, where’s the case?
The reason patients are always referred to specific private clinics and pharmacies after a diagnosis in public hospitals
Zikuyambira Kulikulu
Even the goat feeds where it has bn assigned, kkkkkk
Such people are the ones who are keeping Malawi @ 54 where we are now. No real change because of greedy guys who steal public monies like they dont have a heart!! Lock all them up when found and never release them. Our country will be better off without them. Thieves, public plunders, killers of innocent sick people!! Lock them all up!! We dont give a damn if they recieve a fair trial or not.
Lomwe style, mwana mbuuu, make mbuuuuu…..