Health Worker Arrested Over Theft of Medicines at Bufuma HCIII
BUDUDA — A health worker at Bufuma HCIII in Bududa District has been arrested for allegedly stealing a significant quantity of medicines and medical supplies from the facility’s store. The suspect, Koyola Anthony, a Laboratory Assistant, is accused of illegally accessing the facility’s stores room and taking essential medicines intended for patient care.
The theft was discovered on Saturday, February 15, 2025, when the facility’s Stores In-Charge, Kabale Bashir, noticed that multiple drugs and supplies were missing upon opening the store. According to Bashir, he had left the facility on Thursday, February 13, only to return and find the store in a disorganized state.
Security reports indicate that on Thursday, February 13, Koyola Anthony arrived at the facility around 2:50 p.m. and informed the duty Askari (guard), Wanzama Amos, that he had been sent by the Facility In-Charge to retrieve his personal file. The Askari granted him access to the office, where Koyola located his file and added his confirmation letter and practicing license. However, he also used this opportunity to search through the office and take a spare key to the medicines store.
With the key in hand, Koyola proceeded to the store, packed several medicines into a red bin-liner, and walked out, claiming he was transferring supplies to another health facility. The following day, on Friday, February 14, at approximately 3:40 p.m., he returned to the store and took additional medicines.
In a further attempt to gain access, Koyola visited the home of Wabuyaka James, the second security guard, at 1:00 p.m. on the same day and asked his wife for the keys to the Facility In-Charge’s office. However, the guard’s wife refused to hand them over. Later that day, Koyola was confronted by the Stores In-Charge about the missing supplies but denied having accessed the store.
A stock assessment confirmed that large quantities of essential medicines and medical supplies had been stolen, including:
- 8 tins (8,000 capsules) of Amoxicillin
- 5 boxes of D-Artepp (125 doses total)
- 139 doses of Artesunate injection
- 108 boxes of Malaria Rapid Diagnostic Test kits (2,700 test strips total)
- 3 boxes of Syphilis test kits (300 test strips total)
- 36 Implanon kits
- 100 Rheumatoid Arthritis test kits
- 2 Glucometer machines
- 2 tins of Glucose test strips
- 242 HIV self-test kits
- 9 boxes of Artemether & Lumefantrine (270 doses total)
- 2 boxes of HCG (pregnancy test kits) containing 100 test strips
- 1,245 packets of Progesterone-only pills
- 9 kits of Sure check HIV (self-test kits)
- 101 packets of Levonorgestrel (emergency contraception)
A stakeholders’ meeting was convened on Monday, February 17, 2025, with representatives from the Health Monitoring Unit, facility management committee, local security officers (SACAO and GISO), and other staff members. While Koyola was invited to the meeting, he failed to appear and ignored multiple phone calls.
A follow-up meeting was held on Wednesday, February 19, 2025, where Koyola finally attended and confessed to stealing the medicines. He pleaded for forgiveness and requested time to return the stolen supplies. However, he admitted that he no longer had the store key and suggested buying new padlocks instead.
Following his confession, Koyola Anthony was immediately arrested and taken into custody. Authorities resolved that:
- He must return all the stolen medicines by Friday, February 28, 2025.
- He must purchase two new padlocks for the facility’s medicine store.
- The Facility In-Charge must ensure immediate replacement of the store’s locks.
- A comprehensive report on the incident must be submitted to the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) by February 20, 2025.
Koyola Anthony appeared before the Anti-Corruption Court on March 24, 2025, on charges of embezzlement and was remanded until March 28, 2025, when he is scheduled to reappear. Investigations into the case are still ongoing. The Health Monitoring Unit has reaffirmed its commitment to promoting accountability and preventing the theft of medical supplies in public health facilities.
