Police yesterday arrested three men after they were found in possession of a quantity of medical equipment and documents including COVID-19 vaccination books and sick leave forms.
Deputy Head of the Guyana Police Force’s Corporate Communication Unit, Stan Gouveia today confirmed that the suspects, ages 42, 37 and 24 were taken into police custody pending an investigation.
Among the items found in their possession were one stethoscope, 17 stamped sick leave forms, four COVID-19 vaccination books, a blood sugar testing kit and a blood pressure testing kit.
According to a police report, enquiries revealed that a nurse raised an alarm after two of the suspects approached her to stamp the COVID-19 vaccination books at the Vreed-en-Hoop Health Centre.
The police said one of the suspects initially approached the nurse yesterday morning and requested that she stamp the COVID-19 vaccination book. He was followed by an accomplice.
The suspects, the police added, related to the nurse that the third suspect was outside to transport them to the Diamond Hospital.
The report further explained that the nurse checked the vaccination books and observed that they were all blank and the suspects were not supposed to have them in their possession.
As such, she immediately alerted her supervisor who lodged a report with the Vreed-en-Hoop Police Station.
According to the police, the suspects were contacted and arrested at the West Demerara Regional Hospital. They were later escorted to the Vreed-en-Hoop Police Station.
A search carried out on one of the suspects’ motorcar unearthed one stethoscope, seventeen blank sick leave forms and one COVID-19 vaccination book, the police said.
The sick leave forms were stamped with the West Demerara Regional Hospital stamp while one of the COVID-19 vaccination books was not stamped but bore a name and address.
Ranks then went to the home of the suspect and a further search revealed one blood pressure testing machine and one sugar testing machine in his bedroom.
He was questioned about the items which he claimed he bought in Georgetown. However, he could not provide receipts for the purchase.
As a result, the items were seized.
Further searches were conducted at the two other suspects’ homes but nothing of evidential value was found, the police said.
The trio were placed in police custody pending further investigation.
