One more arrested for stealing COVID-19 vaccines

One more person was hauled before the Accra Circuit Court for allegedly stealing and selling Covishield vaccine, belonging to the state.

Lord Pabitey, a Disease Control Officer of the La Bawalashie Polyclinic, on Friday, joined the other three accused persons who were earlier arrested.

The court is yet to take the plea of the accused persons.

They are to reappear on April 1, 2021.

The three persons are 37-year-old Stephen Dzisenu, who is a Disease Control Officer of the Greater Accra Regional Hospital, Cosmos Allotey, 42; an Occupational Health and Safety Officer, and Joseph Knight Gaisie, a Project Assistant and a former Laboratory Technician at the Greater Accra Regional Hospital.

Facts

The facts according to the prosecution were that Dzisenu allegedly stole 36 vials of the Covishield, while Lord Pabitey, a Disease Control Officer of the La Bawalashie Polyclinic, now at large, allegedly stole 26 vials of Covishield.

Detective Sergeant Sarpong said Allotey was the person who received the stolen Covishield from Pabitey and Dzisenu.

The court heard that Allotey allegedly administered the vaccines at GH¢200.00 per jab.

Gaisie is also being held for an additional charge of abetment of crime.

The prosecutor said during the first week of March this year, the operatives got wind that some health officials had been stealing and selling COVID-19 vaccines.

Detective Sergeant Sarpong said during the investigation, the operatives discovered that it was Allotey who injects the COVID-19 vaccines for a fee.

He said the complainants contacted Allotey via the telephone and feigned interest in buying some of the COVID-19 vaccines, so he charged the complainants GH¢200.00 per vaccination.

The prosecution said on March 16, Allotey was arrested when he showed up to inject the complainant at Labone, Accra.

Upon searching Allotey, eight Covishield vials, eight used Covishield, 173 pieces of 0.5 ml unused injection syringes and cotton were found.

The prosecution said during interrogation, Allotey mentioned Dzisenu and Pabitey as his source.

Allotey then led the National Security operatives to arrest Dzisenu and Gaisie.

The prosecution said Allotey admitted buying 36 of the vials at GH¢18,000.00.

Detective Sergeant Sarpong told the court that Allotey explained that he sold 20 of the vials of Covishield at a cost of GH¢16,000.00 and later returned 15 vials to Dzisenu.

The prosecution said Allotey said he also bought 26 vials of the Covishield from Pabitey at GH¢4,800.00.

Sarpong said Dzisenu also mentioned Gaisie as the one who aided and facilitated the sale of the stolen Covishield vaccines to Allotey.