Police in collaboration with Rwanda Investigation Bureau have arrested five people including three nurses at Kayanga Health Center in Gasabo District, for allegedly stealing several equipment and drugs.
The items including laboratory equipment, ward furniture and medical drugs from the pharmacy, were stolen over time.
The implicated nurses were identified as Violette Nyirantabaruye, Pascal Ndayisaba and Felicien Nyangabo.
Two other suspects identified as Skolastika Uwambazamariya and Innocent Mutsindashyaka, are clears at the health centre located in Rutunga Sector, who also had access to the stores. Uwambazamariya is a wife to Ndayisaba.
According to the Police spokesperson for the City of Kigali, Senior Supt. Emmanuel Hitayezu, the quintet is currently detained at Gikomera Police station pending further investigations by the Bureau.
“There was information that items allocated to the health centre by the government to facilitate patients were being stolen,” SSP Hitayezu said.
“There was some clue that Uwambazamariya was the one stealing bed-sheets and bedcovers from the stores. When officers and investigators went to their house they recovered several items including bedcovers and sheets belonging to the health centre,” he added.
Medical drugs said to have been stolen from the pharmacy were also recovered from Nyangabo’s house. Other suspects were also found with other varied items that were stolen from the health centre.
The exact quantity and value of what was stolen is yet to be established, he said.
Taking things from the health centre or hospital is playing on the lives and welfare of the people especially patients, so such malpractices should be fought by everyone,” SSP Hitayezu said.
Article 300 of the Penal Code stipulates that, any person who commits theft without violence or threats shall be liable to a term of imprisonment of six months to two years and a fine of two to five times the value of the stolen property or one of these penalties
