A 34-year-old employee at Mpilo Central Hospital, Lizuba Nkosi Ngula, was sentenced to 12 months in prison for stealing mobile phones from patients while they were in a vulnerable state.
As reported by The Sunday News, Ngula exploited patients’ illnesses to steal their mobile phones, leading to his conviction on three counts of theft following a full trial.
While Ngula was sentenced to 12 months, Bulawayo Magistrate Nomagugu Maphosa conditionally suspended three months of the sentence.
The remaining nine months of the sentence were suspended on the condition that Ngula performs 315 hours of community service at Cowdray Park Primary School.
Ngula, from Nkulumane suburb, works as an HIV testing counselor for the Global Fund, stationed at Mpilo Central Hospital.
The court was told that in the first count, Ngula stole a Samsung Galaxy A05 phone from Lucy Machingauta, a 36-year-old resident of Queens Park in Bulawayo. Said prosecutor Hazel Siphiwe Sithole:
On the 6th of November 2024 at around 10am, the complainant was admitted to Mpilo Hospital Post Natal and the accused person took her Samsung Galaxy A05 cellphone and went away.
The complainant made a police report leading to the arrest of the accused person, the total value stolen was US$100 and was recovered.
In the second count, on 6 November 2024 and at Mpilo Hospital Post Natal ward one, room five, Lizuba Nkosi Ngula unlawfully, intentionally and without permission or authority from Martha Luwe unlawfully took an Itel P36 cellphone knowing that Martha Luwe was entitled to it.
In the third count, Ngula, on 8 November, is said to have stolen an O King cellphone from Shamiso Ndlovu (19) from Ndlovu homestead, Chief Sogwala in Lower Gweru at Mpilo Hospital Post Natal Ward One, Room Five.
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