Trio in court for defrauding NatPharm
A ROUTINE query by a NatPharm dispatch manager stopped three criminals from driving off with medicines worth US$9 600 after tendering a fake requisition.
The foul play was blocked by the Natpharm dispatch manager Mr Nixon Cosmas Zvandasara, who decided to verify with Mount Darwin District Hospital if they had ordered the medicines, and had given permission for the medicines to be carried in a private green Toyota Hiace van, whose driver was “Gift”.
The hospital denied ever sending people or such an order, prompting Mr Zvandasara to notify the police rather than allow the loaded van to leave. The police arrived and duly arrested Karamayi Mondoka (43), Kudakwashe Mupa (18), and Gift Mondoka (35).
They appeared before Harare magistrate Mr Dennis Mangosi yesterday facing fraud charges, and will remain in custody pending their bail application.
Prosecuting, Mr Zebediah Bofu alleged that on Friday last week at around 4pm, Mupa and Gift, acting in connivance, went to NatPharm with a hospital requisition and issue voucher number dated November 8 and purportedly issued by Mount Darwin District Hospital.
They tendered their requisition to the dispatch department and their order was processed.
The following medicines and surgicals were loaded into their vehicle; 1008 cycles x10 cartons levenorgestrol 150mg of ethinylestradiol 30mg tabs (control pills), 100x 100 x 2 cartons of paracetamol 500mg pills, and 120 cartons of 10 x 100 latex examination gloves.
The court heard Mr Zvandasara decided to verify the order with the purported originator of the requisition and issue voucher through the Mt Darwin District Hospital pharmacy manager Mr Tendai David Mukanya, who denied ever sending anyone to collect the order on behalf of Mount Darwin Hospital.
So he told detectives from CID Drugs and Narcotics who swiftly attended the scene.
Upon arrival, the detectives arrested
Mupa and Gift who then implicated Karamayi.
The latter was lured by detectives and arrested at a Spar Supermarket along Harare Street. They took him to his workplace in Harare where they conducted searches in his shop.
Detectives seized and recovered 36x250 Isoflurane 100 percent made in Egypt.
The total value of the recovered drugs is US$9 640.