Three SMC pharmacy staff jailed for stealing drugs

Manama

The Daily Tribune - www.newsofbahrain.com

Three government employees have each been sentenced to five years in jail for stealing drugs from one of the largest public pharmacies in the country. Financial Crimes and Money Laundering Chief Prosecutor Mohammed Jamal Sultan yesterday confirmed that the defendants, one female and two male employees at Salmaniya Medical Complex (SMC) pharmacy, were also fined BD500 each as well as ordered to repay the value of the stolen drugs.

The accused were arrested last month by the Interior Ministry’s General Directorate of Anti-Corruption and Economic and Electronic Security for smuggling more than 1,000 different tablets from the pharmacy. According to Mr Sultan, initial investigations indicated that the two male employees embezzled quantities of prescription drugs, with the help of their female supervisor. “More than 1,000 tablets and other medical substances were found at the first defendant’s residence.

The Public Prosecution launched its investigations into the incident and interrogated the suspects, who confessed to the charges,” the prosecutor explained. The defendants admitted to taking advantage of their jobs at the pharmacy, as well as the lack of supervision and inventory procedures, in order to embezzle different types of medicines for their personal use and to distribute among relatives and acquaintances. “They admitted that they have done this with the knowledge and consent of their female supervisor, the third suspect,” he concluded.