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A 54-year-old Cuban doctor was arrested in South Africa for allegedly stealing medications from the public hospital where she worked, according to several local media outlets, including The Sunday World, The Citizen, and The Bulrushes.
An official statement from the South African Police Service (SAPS) identified the doctor as Yamilet Castañeda, noting that she was affiliated with the Thabazimbi Hospital in Limpopo province.
According to the provincial police spokesperson, Colonel Malesela Ledwaba, the alleged theft occurred on September 2nd, around 6:45 a.m., when a security guard conducted a routine inspection at the hospital's main entrance and discovered unauthorized medications in the bag of the professional.
After the discovery, Castañeda was taken to her office, where more medications were found during a second search.
The authorities initiated an internal investigation and notified the police, who issued an arrest warrant. However, the doctor reportedly traveled to Cuba shortly after the incident and was detained upon her return to South Africa on October 22, as specified by The Citizen.
The doctor appeared on October 23 before the Thabazimbi Magistrates' Court, where she was released on warning while the investigation continues. The case has been postponed until November 28 for the presentation of new evidence.
Police sources confirmed that the investigations are ongoing to determine the extent of the alleged theft and whether there are other people involved.
Castañeda is part of the group of Cuban doctors contracted by the South African government under a bilateral health cooperation agreement that has been in place for over two decades.
These professionals work in public hospitals located in rural and hard-to-reach areas, primarily in the provinces of Limpopo, Mpumalanga, and the Eastern Cape.
So far, neither the Cuban authorities nor the Cuban Embassy in Pretoria have made any statements regarding the case.
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