Medical officer remanded over theft of Arua hospital  X-ray equipment

KAMPALA-UGANDA/ NEWSDAY: The State House Anti-Corruption Unit ( SH-ACU) has arraigned  Abila Benington Okello at Anti-Corruption Court in Kololo over charges of embezzlement of hospital equipment.

Mr Okello,  a dark room attendant/Radiology staff at Arua Regional Referral Hospital, allegedly stole components of the Digital X-ray Machine for screening Tuberclosis (TB) valued at €15,000.

The equipment included a HP Laptop, its Canon Software and a Samsung Galaxy Phone from the main store of Arua Regional Referral Hospital in December 2021.

Prosecution says after the theft, Mr. Okello mortgaged the assets to Furah link ventures financial limited to acquire a loan of  Shs. 1.2 million.

A red flag was raised to the State House Anti-Corruption Unit when  after Abila failed to account for the where about of the subject equipment to the management.

On interrogation by the police detectives,  he told officers he had mortgaged them for a loan, and led the police to the financial institution. The assets were recovered and are now being used as exhibits. Earlier last year, guards at Arua hospital were arrested over theft of the hospital’s ambulance.

Okello has been remanded.

Late last year, other medical staff from Arua hospital were arrested by SH-ACU and charged over allegations of stealing a hospital ambulance at this hospital.

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