National News

Man in for illegal possession of medical drugs

 

Police in Mulanje on Monday arrested a 60-year-old man for allegedly being found in possession of over thirty different kinds of medical drugs and some medical equipment without a permit.

According to spokesperson for Mulanje Police Station Gresham Ngwira, they received a tip-off from well-wishers informing them that the suspect David Mandala was keeping and offering on sale assorted medical drugs at his hawker at Mpala Trading Centre in the district.

Ngwira said working on the tip, police detectives went to the suspect’s hawker at the trading centre where they found numerous medical drugs displayed in his shop for sale.

“When asked to produce relevant documents for the possession of the drugs, the suspect failed to do so. This prompted officers to arrest him and seized the drugs whose value has not yet been quantified,” explained Ngwira.

Among the seized drugs include seven blisters of LA, 50 capsules of Indomethacin, 15 tubes of Tetracycline and 1000 tablets of Cotrimoxazole.

Also seized are 120 Depo syringes, 25 capillary tubes and one zinc plaster among other medical equipment.

Ngwira further said Mandala who comes from Njema village in Traditional Authority (T/A) Mabuka’s area in the district, will appear in court soon.

Police have since applauded well-wishers in the district for the tip-off that led to arrest of the suspected illegal medical drug dealer. The law enforcers further appeal for a continued support that will help curb crime in general.

In April this year, The Nation carried an article which exposed the continuation of drug pilferage in public health facilities despite several efforts to deal with the vice.

A joint operation between Malawi Police Service (MPS) and Dowa District Health Office (DHO) busted a multi-million kwacha drug theft syndicate involving civil servants and security guards.

The Dowa incident came against a background of multifaceted efforts by the Malawi Government and donors such as the United States Agency for International Development (USAid) and the Global Fund for Tuberculosis, Malaria and HIV and Aids to reduce drug pilferage which in 2016 resulted in the loss of drugs and supplies amounting to K5 billion out of the Ministry of Health’s K17 billion drugs budget.

Still in mulanje, Police at Muloza on Tuesday arrested a 32 – year – old man for allegedly being found in possession of offensive weapons during old hours.

Ngwira told Nation Online that Kamwana was arrested in the wee hours of Tuesday when officers erected a snap roadblock as part of their duties.

He said while doing their work, a minibus carrying passengers from Muloza Border heading to Mulanje Boma was stopped and the officers came across a suspicious bag which was being carried by Hardwork John  Kamwana.

“From the appearance of the bag, the officers demanded a thorough search in the bag, a development which did not go down well with the owner.

“Nonetheless, the officers searched the bag in which they found two sharp crowbars and two screw drivers among other sharp objects. They interrogated the man about the weapons but he failed to give a plausible explanation.  Kamwana attempted to run away from the officers, but they apprehended him instantly,” said Ngwira.

Later the suspect told officers that he and others went to Mozambique to steal using the weapons, a mission he said flopped along the way.

Meanwhile, investigations are still underway to find out if the suspect is connected to some series of robbery that took place at Muloza some months ago.

Kamwana has since been charged with the offence of persons found armed with intent to commit felony contravening section 313 of the penal code. He comes from Ngoni village, Traditional Authority Govati in Mwanza.

Related Articles

Back to top button