Police in Tharaka Nithi are pursuing a county employee over the misappropriation of government drugs found on sale in a clinic in Marima market in Maara Sub-county.
The Tharaka Nithi County Criminal Investigation Officer (CCIO), Ms. Betty Chepng’eno revealed that acting on intelligence, her officers stormed the chemist on Tuesday and seized the drugs but the attendant fled.
The CCIO added that after inspection they found a photocopy of an operating license issued in 2018 with no name to identify the clinic besides the license being expired.
She further disclosed that her officers were able to find other equipment and drugs that included injection kits which could actually be expired but with labels changed and they are yet to know if they are sourced through the right channels.
“The chemist attendant fled away amid a commotion created to try and scare away the police officers but we will soon catch up with her since she left her identity card behind,” said the CCIO.
Speaking to reporters in her office in Chuka town on Tuesday, Ms. Chepng’eno disclosed that the chemist attendant Ms. Eunice Kikuu Njiru is being pursued to assist police in further investigations but preliminary investigations have revealed that a county government employee attached to Ngundu Health Centre owns the chemist.
She called on members of the public to give information that will lead to the arrest of Ms. Njiru who fled away after raising alarm to attract the wrath of the public on the police officers.
The CCIO further called on the Tharaka Nithi County government to help her office apprehend their alleged unscrupulous employee, Kenneth Riungu to ensure a comprehensive investigation is completed and the culprits taken to court.
She said it is very unfortunate that a medical practitioner could be selling government drugs while members of public are crying foul over the scarcity of drugs in government health facilities.
By David Mutwiri/Monicah Nyagah
