By PERPETUAL SICHIKWENKWE  –
THREE employees of Medical Stores Limited, two Congolese and two others have been taken to court  for allegedly breaking into Medical Stores Limited (MSL) and stealing assorted drugs  worth more than K6 million.
Lusaka principal magistrate Greenwell Malumani has since granted four of the seven accused persons bail in the sum of K40,000 in their own recognisance.
The seven are facing two counts of theft by servant and another of breaking into a building with intent to commit a felony.
Ntambwe Ntambwe and Patrick Elitie, both Congolese, are alleged to have on August 20, 2017 in Lusaka with intent to steal broken into Medical Stores building.
Kalaluka Munyandekwa, Paul Bwalya and Ananias Simumba are alleged to have between January 2016 and August 2017 jointly and whilst acting together with other persons unknown, being persons employed as warehouse assistants and driver of Medical Stores stole assorted medicines valued at K3, 001,223.30, the property of MSL.
It is alleged in the third count that Ntambwe, Munyandekwa, Bwalya, Simumba, Sakala and Oliver Chipapala between January 2016 and August 2017 jointly and whilst acting together with other persons unknown stole assorted drugs valued at K3,001,223.30.
Principal magistrate Mwaka Mikalile allocated the case to Mr Malumani but the seven could not take plea because three of the accused persons – Bwalya, Simumba and Sakala – were not before court.
Ntambwe, Elitie, Munyandekwa and Chipapala, however, applied for bail pending the disposal of their case.
Mr Malumani in his ruling granted the four bail in the sum of K40,000 but in their own recognisance.
He ordered each one of them to provide two surities who should be bound in the like sum of K40,000 and that the surities should be working for Government or quasi-Government institutions holding a rank above the clerk.
Mr Malumani told the four that although they were deemed innocent until proven guilty, the offences of breaking into a building and stealing drugs which could have been given to patients was serious.
He said many people in the country were dying due to lack of medicine which was being stolen at the expense of saving lives.
He gave Bwalya, Simumba and Sakala who were not before court a benefit of doubt and adjourned the case to October 2, 2017 for plea.