Pharmacy Technician admits stealing hospital pills
Josephine Knezevic Cassar, 41, a pharmacy technician at Mater Dei Hospital, admitted in court today to have stolen pills from the Mater Dei Hospital pharmacy on and before July 2.
Police Inspector Jesmond Micallef told the court that this case is linked to another involving another woman, which is still pending.
He said investigations were launched when medicine ran out of stick A fresh supply was imported, but it ran out in an unexpectedly short time.
CCTV showed the other woman - whose is still pending - stealing the pills. Further investigations then less to Ms Cassar.
He said the accused had cooperated with the police. She said that she had given the pills to another woman. It ad been claimed that the thefts were made as an act of charity to the other woman, who had had the right to receive the medicines on the health service.
Defence lawyer Franco Debono said that this was more of a case of misappropriation than theft, as the woman who received the pills had had a right for the pills.
Magistrate Jacqueline Padovani said this appeared more of the case where the accused had facilitated access of the pills for the patient.
She conditionally discharged the accused for three years and also sent a recommendation to the hospital for this incident not to affect her job.
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T Cassar
Feb 6th, 23:09
So who had then signed the yellow/pink card.....no one I presume! Are the authorities stupid to stipulate that recorods are kept of medicines dispensed? No, because there is a reason records are kept! But hey lets call this charity, from other people's taxes, AND keeping in mind what favours are usually for!
After all we have the Law and we have the Book of Loopholes, pity a commendation was not thrown in for good measure!
George Calleja
Feb 6th, 15:44
Stealing a few pills can be attributed to helping another woman who needed them but from the look of things the accused made off with quite an amount of pills. And what connection had the accused with the other woman who's case is still pending?
Charlotte Sant Portanier
Feb 6th, 15:03
Points for thought:
1. Is it legal for a Pharmacy Technician to "dispense" such a medication without a prescription?
2. Is it legal for a Pharmacy Technician to "dispense" such a medication without it first being check by a Pharmacist before giving it to the patient?
3. A dispensary is fully stocked with medications that can be misused and abused. Any person employed in such a place, needs to understand and respect their surroundings, and should take this extremely seriously. How can one regain this trust given this incident?
Alexander Farrugia
Feb 6th, 15:02
"CCTV showed the other woman - whose is still pending - stealing the pills. Further investigations then less to Ms Cassar."
Unintelligible. Please rephrase.
Twanny Scerri
Feb 6th, 17:20
less as in led....come on..small typo
Pawlu Cauchi
Feb 6th, 14:59
For once our courts made a good judgement.
Carmel camilleri
Feb 6th, 16:05
So one can take the law into one's hands according to you. If the woman was entitled to the pills she should have applied to the proper channel. Suppose all pharmacy technicians do the same.What would happen to the patiets waiting their pills. It is surely a case of abuse of one's postion. The accused is unreliable and should not return to the same job.
Christina Pace
Feb 6th, 14:34
Yet another example of bureaucracy driving people to bad practice. Yet again Franco Depbono at the forefront of setting things right.