Ghana Health Service Workers Denied Bail, Accused of Stealing Medicines
Three employees of the Ghana Health Service (GHS) have been denied bail for the second time by the Circuit Court in the Upper East Region of Ghana. The workers, identified as Ibrahim Fasilat, Bridget Banoeyelle, and Raymond Asoke, are facing charges of conspiracy to commit a crime, abetment, and stealing. They pleaded not guilty to the charges but have been remanded in police custody again.
The arrests came after investigative journalist Edward Adeti of Media Without Borders exposed the alleged theft of medicines from the Upper East Regional Hospital in Bolgatanga. Adeti’s findings, caught on camera, prompted law enforcement to take action.
According to Inspector Prosper Adabeen, the prosecutor in the case, the Bolgatanga Divisional Police Command received information on August 4, 2023, that some workers at the hospital were stealing boxes of drugs from a storeroom. The stolen medications were allegedly being sold to private drug store operators within and outside the region.
The police patrol team, led by Detective Sergeant Eric Negble, apprehended a driver who was loading boxes of drugs into a red Toyota Vitz car registered as GE1532-21. The driver was seen taking the drugs from the official residence of Banoeyelle, the Assistant Dispensary Officer.
During the investigation, a total of 34 boxes of assorted medications were recovered and submitted as evidence in court. The driver claimed that the storekeeper, Mrs. Raheem, had instructed him to transport the drugs to her house. Subsequently, Mrs. Raheem was arrested at her official bungalow within the hospital premises.
Mrs. Raheem, considered the prime suspect, confessed to the police that Banoeyelle was her collaborator in the drug thefts, which had reportedly been ongoing for years. The police subsequently arrested Banoeyelle at her residence in Bukere, a suburb of Bolgatanga.
The accused individuals have refused to disclose the identities of their buyers, suggesting a wider network involved in the illegal trade of stolen medicines.
Counsel for the accused, led by Bagonluri Lwanga Sannyeh, appealed to the court for the granting of bail, highlighting that the accused had no criminal record and were responsible parents with permanent places of abode. However, the court dismissed the plea and ordered that the accused remain in police custody.
The case involving the three GHS workers will continue on September 6, 2023, before the presiding judge, Mr. Sumaila Amadu.
This incident has raised concerns about the security and management of medical supplies in Ghana’s healthcare system. Authorities will need to strengthen oversight and take measures to prevent the theft of essential medicines, ensuring they reach those in need.
