Cuban doctors in theft case .

By Our Correspondent
CHINHOYI, Zimbabwe Tuesday, December 25, 2007— two female Cuban medical doctors working at Chinhoyi provincial hospital were arrested last week for allegedly stealing from a local supermarket.
Chinhoyi police records identify the doctors as Dayenerius Luaces (40) and Maria Isabel Ramirez (38).
The pair are alleged have gone into TM Supermarket last week at around 3PM and taken body lotion and bathing soap valued at $11.6m and $13.9m respectively.
They stuffed the goods into their handbags, according to police records. But a TM security officer in plain clothes, Tenboy Nakoma, reportedly saw them and waited until they walked out of the shop without paying.
He then approached the pair in the company of managers and a uniformed security guard. They were searched and the stolen goods recovered the report notes.
The two were handed over to police at Chinhoyi central station where the case was recorded. The two are yet to be brought to court.
"The police want to consult their superiors," said an officer aware of the case, "on whether or not they can proceed to prosecute the pair for theft (shoplifting) as defined under Section 113 of the Criminal Law (Codification & Reform) Act, Chapter 9:23."
He said the police wanted to establish if the doctors, seconded to Chinhoyi under an agreement between the governments of Zimbabwe and Cuba, did not enjoy diplomatic immunity.
The Cuban government has come to Zimbabwe's rescue as the health sector has in recent years been plagued by a massive brain drain of doctors, nurses and other medical specialists, fleeing low pay and appalling working conditions.
Most have found economic refuge in South Africa, Botswana, the United Kingdom and the United States. A number have found jobs in non-English-speaking countries in Europe.
This is not the first time allegations of misconduct have been leveled against Cuban doctors at the hospital. Recently they were named in a racket involving the loss of hospital computers.
A Congolese expatriate doctor was named in a syndicate involving the theft of drugs at the Hospital.
Hospital administrators were not immediately available for comment.
Photo: Chinoyi caves, Chinhoyi (Zimbabwe) by Sue Hoppe