A pharmacy technician at Zomba Central Hospital and a business man in Limbe township are in custody in connection with the theft of surgical materials at the said hospital.

The first suspect has been identified as a 37-year-old Emmanuel Gondwe, a pharmacy technician who hails from Ngomba village in the area of Traditional Authority Chikulamayembe in Rumphi.

According to Zomba police public relations officer, Sergeant Patricia Supuliano, Gondwe was arrested after some well-wishers tipped the police that a businessman in Limbe was selling hospital materials stolen from a government hospital.

After the police investigation, the businessman identified as Habib Goba was apprehended and revealed that he bought the materials from Gondwe.

Among the materials were, 10 jars of 50 Kilograms of Chlorine, 8 cartons of cotton wool and other materials all worth K3 million.

Gondwe is expected to answer the charge of theft by public servant contrary to section 283 of the penal code while the businessman Goba will answer the charge of receiving stolen property contrary to section 328 of the penal code.