Three nurses, who 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 Coronavirus regulations, have each paid a fine of N$2 000. The police said the three nurses – a female and two men – were having fun at the hospital nurses’ home when police caught them. The trio is Mufalo Mwilima (28), John Netha (32) and 28-year-old Ruth Mundia. 

The Zambezi regional crime investigations coordinator, Deputy Commissioner Evans Simasiku, said the trio were released on Monday after they paid the N$2 000 fine. Simasiku said the police officers found liquor illegally smuggled into Namibia from Zambia when they attended to the call at the hospital. 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 into the country. They were also charged in terms of section 14 for contravening proclamation 17 of Covid-19 section 1 (a) and (b).  

In another incident in the Zambezi region, a female nurse, who was also arrested on Sunday for allegedly assaulting an immigration officer at the Liselo roadblock, was released from police custody. She has been identified as 32-year-old Pumulo Nawa. Nawa also appeared in the Katima Mulilo Magistrate’s Court and was granted bail of N$500 for assaulting an officer while on duty. Simasiku said the incident happened after the nurse refused to comply with the officer when asked about where she was 
travelling. 

She was reportedly travelling to the Saceinga area with three passengers, one Angolan national and two Zambians. “When the immigration officer asked where they were travelling, the nurse became arrogant and started assaulting the officer. She was then arrested for assaulting an officer while on duty,” he explained. 
Two Zambian nationals were also arrested for not having relevant documents, according to the Zambezi police. Simasiku said the two were charged in terms of contravening proclamation 17 read with regulation 10 sub-section 1 (a), (b) and (c) for Covid-19. 
– anakale@nepc.com.na