Five Karonga health officials who were suspended for alleged mismanagement of funds, have dragged the district council to court.

The five are Malani Nyirenda (DNO), Alex Chilombo (), Mavuto Kawonga (Human Resource), Stuart Chirambo (Procurement officer) and Donald Kamwela (Maintenance officer).

Junior workers are also accusing the five for stealing the district ambulance engine.

Karonga district council together with the District Commissioner (DC) Richard Hara suspended the five senior health workers in order to restore peace at the hospital.

This was after the junior staff boycotted their works and blocked the hospital main entrance gate.

“We have resolved to suspend the five for fourteen days pending for a commission of inquiry,” Hara said earlier.

However, the accused have challenged the council’s decision to the Lilongwe High Court.

Lawyer for the group, Wesley Mwafulirwa has disclosed the development in a telephone interview saying the case will be held at Lilongwe High Court on 12 October, 2017.

According to Mwafulirwa, the council’s decision was against the country’s constitution as well as an infringement to the rights of his clients.

For instance, Mwafulirwa said only the country’s President is allowed to establish the commission of inquiry hence the council violated such law.

He also said that the council did not invite his clients to hear their side of the story.

“We shall meet with them in the Lilongwe high court on 12 October, this year. We want justice to prevail,” said Mwafulirwa.

Effort to talk to Karonga district commissioner proved futile as he was not picking his mobile phone when contacted.

Meanwhile, the junior workers at the hospital have disclosed that they will start boycotting their works on Tuesday due to the council failure to disclose the inquiry results.