In what could be described as a theft galore, Lilongwe Police Station is keeping in custody a 28-year-old Clinical Officer Alinafe Likagwa and former security guard Emmanuel Sande, 33, over assorted stolen office equipment at Kamuzu Central Hospital (KCH).

The KCH clinician was arrested on January 10, 2023 for allegedly stealing electronic items at his workplace while the ex-guard was arrested on Wednesday 11th January.

Lilongwe Police Public relations officer Inspector Hastings Chigalu said there have been incidents at the central hospital where electronics such as computers, printers, scanners and others have been suspiciously missing in different offices.

In December, a computer hard drive, monitor and Central processing unit (CPU) in the Out Patient Department (OPD) where the suspect works, went missing one by one on different occasions.

The development prompted the OPD In-charge to ask all of his subordinates including the suspect on the whereabouts of the items but, they all expressed ignorance on the matter.

Chigalu stated that in the first week of January 2023, the suspect, who privately runs a stationery and photocopying shop, reported to work with KCH already printed documents, a development which raised suspicions to the other workmates.

Lilongwe Police detectives went on the ground after receiving the complaint.

“This resulted into recovering of the electronics from a certain woman (name withheld), where the suspect went to hide the items after secretly moved them from his photocopying shop at Gologota Trading Centre in Area 23.

“Meanwhile, KCH authorities have ably identified the items as the ones that went missing” said the Police publicist.

The suspect, Likagwa, who hails from Mayani Village, Traditional Authority Tambala in Dedza, has been charged with theft by public Servant.

As for the former security guard Sande, he hired a motor vehicle van at a certain rank in town, telling them that the referral hospital was transferring some office equipment to Chilinde Health Centre on a Cholera programme.

During day time, he opened the main door at Kamuzu central hospital using keys but, he broke the interior doors to reach the other rooms where some of the items were stored.

According to Chigalu, the activity raised eyebrows to some people who were observing the scene unfolding.

“Smelling danger that people have realised his criminal intentions, the suspect who once worked at the facility as security guard under a certain security firm, attempted to bolt from the scene. However, Emmanuel could not make it far, he was apprehended.

“At this time, the suspect had already loaded into the Van at least half of the items that were targeted and assembled to be taken away”.

An upright fridge, a display cabinet, four executive swing office chairs, one metal lounge chair and office table are the items that had been loaded into the van.

Sande who hails from Chiphwanya Village, Traditional Authority Tambala in Dedza, will appear in court soon to answer theft charges.