Despite the initial public uproar on Honey Bee Pharmacy Supplying expired drugs and condoms, and expectations that the company and its directors would be indicted on these charges, the Anti-Corruption Commission has instead arrested its directed on a charge of uttering of false documents relating to the tender.
When asked to confirm why the directors have not been charged with a more serious offense and initial allegations of supplying expired drugs and condoms which the public has been expecting, ACC says investigations on the other aspects involving Honey Bee Pharmacy have continued even as the arrest of three of its Directors is only one part of the many aspects of the case.
The Commission has arrested three Directors of Honey Bee Pharmacy Limited for uttering of false documents. ACC arrested Abdurrauf Abdurahim Motala, 41 of house number 107 Umodzi Highway in Chipata, Zakir H. Motala, 42, of ABM Apartments in Lusaka and Imran Runat, 40, house number 429 Obote Road in Lusaka.
They have been arrested on one count of uttering of a false document contrary to section 352 and 347 of the Penal Code Chapter 87 of the Laws of Zambia. ACC has not confirmed if the charges relating to supplying of expired drugs will be added on the way but promised that investigations are underway.
The arrest comes in the wake of a contract awarded in August 2019 by the Ministry of Health to Honey Bee Pharmacy, for the supply of 22,500 health kits to health centers countrywide at a contract sum of $17 million.
Investigations have established that the three directors of HoneyBee Pharmacy Limited, uttered false documents to the Ministry of Health as part of the tender documents for the supply and delivery of health kits. The documents included, undated recommendation letters from South Africa, Malawi and an Audit Financial Statement purportedly prepared by an auditor but which was not the case.
ACC has since been challenged to fully investigate and lay charges relating to supply of expired drugs for Justice to prevail. Some staff at ZAMRA and Ministry of Health have lost jobs and careers on this case, it’s therefore only right that if the drugs supplied are not expired, then those officers who have lost jobs have their cases heard for consideration of being re-instated.
Theres is also need to confirm if the drugs, health kits and condoms supplied are verified for expired or being substandard, so that the truth comes out. It’s important that we build public service on principles of integrity for posterity purposes. See earlier article on Most drugs supplied to Zambia not certified
