A nurse who – with a colleague – allegedly made personal payments using the bank card of a patient who had died from COVID-19, has been granted bail of R3,000 by the Durban Magistrate’s Court.
Sikhona Ngidi (44) admitted to Magistrate Melanie de Jager that he had been convicted of fraud in March 2012 and served a five-year sentence. However, the Independent on Saturday says the state opposed bail for Sandile Mhlane (41), also in the dock, because there was a warrant of arrest for him on another matter.
The case came to light when the business partner of a person who died in St Augustine’s Hospital of COVID-19, where Mhlane is believed to have worked, noticed the partner’s bank card was still being used. Using video footage, the two were arrested and goods that had been bought were recovered.
The report adds the case was postponed to 21 February.
[link url="https://www.iol.co.za/ios/news/bail-for-nurse-accused-of-stealing-covid-19-patients-credit-card-0acca43d-6d27-44af-a4e7-bca2ac540f05"]Full Independent on Saturday report (Open access)[/link]