A U.S. health department doctor in Houston area is accused by prosecutors of stealing nine doses of coronavirus vaccine from a damaged vial and administering them to family and friends. But Hasan Gokal insists he did nothing wrong and was only trying to ensure the vaccine was not wasted, his attorney said Thursday.

Authorities allege that Gokal, who worked for Harris County Public Health, stole a vial of the Moderna coronavirus vaccine while working at a vaccination site at a park Dec. 29. Prosecutors determined Gokal, 48, had given the vaccine to nine individuals.

Paul Doyle, an attorney for Gokal, called his client a “dedicated public servant who ensured that COVID-19 vaccine dosages that would have otherwise expired went into the arms of people who met the criteria for receiving it.”

Gokal is facing a misdemeanor charge of theft by a public servant. If convicted, he faces up to a year in jail and a US$4,000 fine.

(SD-Agencies)