Driver accused of stealing covid-19 cards walks free

SET FREE Mark Samuels

A charge for the theft of Covid-19 vaccinations cards was dismissed Monday morning against 31-year-old Mark Samuels, was charged after allegations of theft was leveled against him in August 2021. Samuels was at the time a driver attached to the Ministry of Health.

His case was heard by Principal Magistrate Sherdel Issacs- Marcus at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts. Samuels denied the charge which stated that in August of last year, he broke into the Vaccination Centre of the Ministry of Health, and stole 66 Covid-19 vaccination cards valued at $1,014.

Magistrate Isaacs-Marcus dismissed the charge against him on Monday citing want of prosecution. Dismissed for want of prosecution is common when there has been an inexcusable delay in the trial. Samuels was represented by lawyer, Dexter Todd.

The Police had alleged that a female nurse went to work and discovered that the lock on the cupboard in which the vaccination cards were stored was wrenched open.

Upon checking, it was discovered that over five dozen vaccination cards were missing. The nurse informed her supervisor who reported the matter to the Police.

An investigation was launched and Samuels was arrested and charged.

At Samuels’ first court appearance in late August 2021, he was remanded to prison. Then, the prosecutor told the court that there is CCTV footage showing a man entering and leaving the ministry’s vaccination Centre.