Pilgrim failed to account for drugs â€" court
May 04, 2010
NICHOLAS Okwani, the manager of Pilgrim, a private company alleged to have illegally received malaria drugs meant for referral hospitals, failed to account for 160,000 doses that the company received, court heard yesterday.
By Edward Anyoli
NICHOLAS Okwani, the manager of Pilgrim, a private company alleged to have illegally received malaria drugs meant for referral hospitals, failed to account for 160,000 doses that the company received, court heard yesterday.
Pontiano Jumba, a pharmacist testifying in the case where senior health ministry officials are accused of fraud, said Pilgrim was found in possession of government drugs without authorisation.
He told Justice Paul Mugamba of the Anti-Corruption Court that when investigators visited the company last year, Okwani referred them to three managers of the malaria control programme. They included Richard Ndyomugenyi, a senior medical officer, Dr. Myers Lugemwa and Martin Shibeki, a programme assistant.
“When we requested for documentation or an agreement from the managers, there was none,†Jumba said.
Ndyomugyenyi is being charged for allegedly failing to ensure the proper management of the Chinese-donated anti-malarial drugs, Duo-cotecxin and Arco, while Lugemwa and Shibeki are being charged with corruption.
Jumba said the distribution of the drugs was abused during the period Ndyomugenyi, Lugemwa and Shibeki headed the programme.
The witness testified that the drugs were taken by individuals without being accounted for.
He told the court that unqualified persons were also given the responsibility to dispense drugs to patients.
A ledger book showing fake entries, requisition forms and dispatch notes were tendered in court as exhibits.
NICHOLAS Okwani, the manager of Pilgrim, a private company alleged to have illegally received malaria drugs meant for referral hospitals, failed to account for 160,000 doses that the company received, court heard yesterday.
Pontiano Jumba, a pharmacist testifying in the case where senior health ministry officials are accused of fraud, said Pilgrim was found in possession of government drugs without authorisation.
He told Justice Paul Mugamba of the Anti-Corruption Court that when investigators visited the company last year, Okwani referred them to three managers of the malaria control programme. They included Richard Ndyomugenyi, a senior medical officer, Dr. Myers Lugemwa and Martin Shibeki, a programme assistant.
“When we requested for documentation or an agreement from the managers, there was none,†Jumba said.
Ndyomugyenyi is being charged for allegedly failing to ensure the proper management of the Chinese-donated anti-malarial drugs, Duo-cotecxin and Arco, while Lugemwa and Shibeki are being charged with corruption.
Jumba said the distribution of the drugs was abused during the period Ndyomugenyi, Lugemwa and Shibeki headed the programme.
The witness testified that the drugs were taken by individuals without being accounted for.
He told the court that unqualified persons were also given the responsibility to dispense drugs to patients.
A ledger book showing fake entries, requisition forms and dispatch notes were tendered in court as exhibits.