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Crime Reporter
Police have widened investigations into the theft of 58 Covid-19 vaccination cards from Beatrice Infectious Diseases Hospital in Harare and from Nyamaruru Clinic in Madziwa.
Of the 58 cards, 45 were stolen in Harare last Tuesday while 13 others were stolen last Wednesday in Madziwa.
Several people including hospital and clinic staff have since been questioned by the police as investigations continue.
Police said they are now in the process of making efforts to track down all those who could have acquired the cards and when they are found they will be arrested and prosecuted.
National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said yesterday the investigations were still in progress. The 45 Covid-19 vaccination cards stolen from Beatrice Infectious Diseases Hospital had serial numbers 00785456 to 00785500.
“The public is urged to report anyone offering vaccination cards for sale,” he said.
In Madziwa, the cards were stolen opportunistically with cash and valuables. Police said a 24-year-old nurse left her house unattended and went to attend a Covid-19 workshop.
“When she returned, she discovered that the 13 vaccination cards, US$35 and other valuables were missing. She made a prompt report to the police.
Besides the thefts of cards, there are other crimes involving vaccination cards. A nurse at Zvishavane District Hospital and her agent have been arrested on charges of issuing Covid-19 vaccination cards to unvaccinated people.
Faith Varaidzo Taruvinga (29) of Izaya Park in Zvishavane and Cloud Nyoni (29) are allegedly part of a web involving nurses at the hospital taking advantage of people who do not want to be vaccinated but want Covid-19 vaccination cards, possibly because they work for institutions that want people that have taken the jab.
Police are still to find out the number of people who got the Covid-19 vaccination cards from the group.
The police had received information to the effect that nurses at Zvishavane District Hospital were issuing Covid-19 vaccination cards and demanding between US$20 and US$30 for a card.
Police, working with the information, approached Nyoni who was allegedly going around scouting for potential customers.
Two police officers approached Nyoni pretending to be in need of Covid-19 vaccination cards and he told them that he wanted US$20 for a single card.
The police officers managed to negotiate and they agreed on US$15 for the two cards before they gave him their identity particulars which were to be filled on the cards.
At around 2pm of the same day, Nyoni allegedly took the police officers to a house in Izaya Park where they were introduced to Taruvinga, who is employed as a nurse at Zvishavane District Hospital.
Taruvinga later allegedly handed over completed vaccination cards to the detectives leading to the arrest of the two.
Online Reporter