Hospital staff charged over Sh12m kit theft

A case in which two civil servants were accused of stealing equipment worth Sh12.6 million from Othaya Level Five Hospital is set to be concluded in two months, Nyeri Law Court Chief Magistrate John Oyiego has said.

The hospital's procurement officers, Paul Mungai Ndung'u and his assistant Milka Wangu, are facing two counts of stealing and giving false information to police regarding the alleged theft of the hospital items.

The duo were charged that on October 7, 2013 at Othaya in Nyeri South sub-county, they informed a police officer at Othaya Police Station that assorted computers, television sets, UPS Projectors and DVD players had been stolen.

The prosecution led by Wesley Nyamache told the court that the property belonged to Othaya District Hospital, the current Othaya Level Five Hospital.

"The said property was stolen from the Constituency Development Fund office where they had been stored," Nyamache said.

The second count stated that on same date at the same place, they stole 10 television sets. Other property included one LCD projector, 20 desktop computers, one printer-cum-scanner and 40 packets of sterile gloves, all valued at Sh12,620,500. So far, six witness have testified.