Nursing assistant remanded over drug theft

___________________

A nursing assistant attached to Amach Health Centre IV in Lira district has been remanded to Luzira Prison on allegations of stealing drugs worth shillings 327,345.

Magret Akoli Eunice on Thursday, March 28, 2024, appeared before principal grade one magistrate Christopher Opit and denied a charge of embezzlement.

Under Section 19 of the Anti-Corruption Act, embezzlement attracts a maximum sentence of 14 years imprisonment, on conviction.

The magistrate remanded the accused until April 11, 2024, after rejecting her sureties because they were not substantial.

“The court cannot rely on your sureties because they gave different addresses of their places of residence,” Opit said.

He, however, advised the accused to get substantial sureties with clear addresses to be granted bail: “If the accused absconds from the court, we shall not be able to trace the sureties”.

The State Attorney from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), Raymond Mugisa informed the court that investigations into the matter are still ongoing.

Allegations

The prosecution alleges that in August 2022 at Amach Health Centre IV being employed by Lira local government as a nursing assistant, Eunice stole medical supplies worth shillings 327,345, the property of her employer by which she had access by her office.

Arrest

Eunice was arrested on Wednesday, following ️Health Monitoring Unit (HMU) investigations into her involvement in the alleged theft of government medicines in 2022.

The investigations discovered the substantial loss of assorted government medicines labelled "not for sale" meant for Amach HC IV and the community it serves.

According to the prosecution, some of these medicines were found in Eunice’s possession at her private residence: “The diligent efforts of law enforcement officers and authorities have led to this critical moment in the pursuit of justice”.

“As we await the outcome of the proceedings, this is yet another stark reminder to public health workers to always serve with responsibility, integrity, and accountability. Actions, such as the ones alleged against Eunice not only undermine public trust but also jeopardize the well-being of those in need of essential medical care,” HMU states in a statement.