Hospital attendant arrested for stealing K6 million scanning machine

Police in Lilongwe have arrested a 27-year-old hospital attendant at Bwaila District Hospital for stealing a scanning machine for pregnant women valued at K6 million.

Spokesperson for Lilongwe Police Station, Hastings Chigalu, identified the suspect as Justine Mataka who has been working at the hospital since 2024.

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“On January 16, 2025, we received complaints from the hospital about a missing machine then police instituted investigations, a day later, detectives apprehended Mataka who admitted to have stolen the machine and used a duplicate key procured in town from key-cutting agents,” said Chigalu.

According to Chigalu, the suspect later led the police to a certain clinician who operates a private clinic within the city where he sold the machine at K2 million and received an initial payment of K1.8 million.

Mataka who hails from Makuta village, Traditional Authority Malengachanzi in Nkhota-kota District, will appear in court on January 20, 2025, to answer a case of theft by public servant.