Mt Darwin Hospital pharmacy technician busted in f...

Mt Darwin Hospital pharmacy technician busted in fraudulent US$9 640 drug scheme

Michael Mashiri

A pharmacy technician has been arraigned before the court accused of complicity in a fraud case involving drugs worth US$9 640.

Harawa Yavunga, 42, of Mt Darwin Hospital, appeared before the Harare Magistrates’ Courts charged with fraud.

The State alleges that on November 8, Yavunga raised a fictitious hospital requisition and issue voucher number 0040814 dated November 8, 2023, claiming that the hospital required certain medicines and surgicals as per the requisition.

He allegedly then gave the fictitious hospital requisition and issue voucher to one a 17-year-old minor whose name was given but cannot be released due to his age, whom he sent to Harare to collect the medicines and surgicals through Karamayi Mondoka of Total Health Care Company, located at number 8 Harare Street, Harare.

When he arrived in Harare, the 17-year-old minor met Mondoka and was taken to National Pharmaceutical Company of Zimbabwe by Gift Mondoka, who is a co-director at Total Health Care. Upon arrival at NatPharm, the bogus hospital requisition and issue voucher were tendered at the despatch section.

According to the State’s statement, the following medicines and surgicals were loaded into a Toyota Hiace, which was being driven by Gift.

“1 008 cycles x10 cartons levenorgestrol; 150mg/ Ethinylestradiol 30mg tabs, control pills, batch number 8159859 expiry date 03/26, 100x 100 x 2 cartons of Paracetamol 500mg pills batch numbers 233121289 with expiry date of 04/2; 120 cartons of 10 x 100 latex examination gloves batch number NBTS 20230105 with an expiry date 24/01/26.”

Just before leaving Natpharm, the despatch manager decided to verify the order with the pharmacy manager at Mt Darwin District Hospital, who denied any knowledge of such requisition and issue voucher from the medical facility.

A report was made to police, leading to Mondoka’s arrest, Gift and the 17-year-old. On November 12, 2023, Yavunga surrendered himself at CID Drugs and Narcotics and was arrested.

The value of drugs that was recovered was US$9 640.

The minor has since been released into the custody of his parents while Gift, Karamayi and Yavunga were remanded in custody pending bail application.