Three nurses were arrested in the wee hours of Sunday for allegedly consuming alcohol on the premises of the Katima Mulilo state hospital in an apparent breach of the strict coronavirus regulations.
The police confirmed three nurses – a female and two men – were having fun at the hospital nurses’ home when police caught them.
The Zambezi regional crime investigations coordinator, Deputy Commissioner Evans Simasiku, told New Era yesterday that he received a tipoff about the nurses’ late-night party.
“I informed my members who were on patrol that there is a car parked at the wards playing loud music and patients couldn’t sleep. The police officers stopped the three nurses who were drunk as they were about to leave the premises,” Simasiku said.
According to him, upon a vehicle search, the police officers found liquor bottles illegally smuggled into Namibia from Zambia.
He said the trio was arrested and charged in terms of the Customs and Excise Act 20 of 1998 for persons who have been found in possession of goods smuggled illegally in Namibia. They were also charged in terms of section 14 for contravening proclamation 17 of Covid-19 section 1 (a) and (b).
They were due to appear in the Katima Mulilo Magistrate’s Court yesterday and at the time of going to print, it was not clear whether they were released on bail.
In another incident in the Zambezi region, a female nurse was arrested on Sunday for allegedly assaulting an immigration officer at the Liselo roadblock.
Simasiku said the incident happened after the nurse refused to comply with the officer when asked where she was travelling to.
She was travelling to Saceinga area with three passengers: one Angolan national and two Zambians. “When the immigration officer asked where they were travelling to, the nurse became arrogant and started assaulting the officer. She was then arrested for assaulting an officer while on duty,” he explained.
The nurse was expected to appear yesterday in the Katima Mulilo Magistrate’s Court.
Simasiku also confirmed that two Zambian nationals were arrested for not having relevant documents. They have been charged in terms of contravening proclamation 17 read with regulation 10 sub-section 1 (a), (b) and (c) for Covid-19. The police have raised concern over the illegal sale of goods being smuggled between Namibia and neighbouring Zambia in the region. These include alcohol, petrol, and food items such as cooking oil and bread.
“I am warning Namibians who are assisting these people that they must stop it. It is not known whether these people are infected with Covid-19 or not. This is for the safety and security of the Namibian nation,” he warned.
He said this past weekend, the police recorded about nine cases of illegal sale of alcohol involving Namibians, Zambians and Zimbabweans in the region.
