Four held for fraud at hospital

FOUR people linked to theft and fraud at the Windhoek Central Hospital have been arrested and appeared in court, The Namibian has established.

Brian Collin Mootsang and Klementine Ganases, who resigned during the investigation, were both arrested on November 14 last year and were released on bail of N$3 000 each after they appeared in court the next day. They were arrested six days after the owner of Sue’s Health and Beauty cc, Susan Mangani, was arrested for her involvement in alleged fraud at the hospital.She appeared in court on the same day – November 9 – and was released on bail of N$3 000.Mangani received a Government cheque for N$28 665,19 through Sue’s Health and Beauty cc from the Ministry of Health in January 2005 for allegedly supplying equipment for the hospital’s operating theatre in December the previous year.However, no operations took place during the last week of that year and the theatre was closed.When approached by The Namibian last year, Mangani denied that she was part of the scam .She said that she only delivered the items because they had been ordered by the Ministry of Health.The order was approved and co-signed by Mootsang and Ganases.The arrest of Mootsang and Ganases was confirmed by the Under Secretary in the Ministry of Health, Kautoo Mutirua.She said the two were arrested “in connection with fraudulent procurement” from Sue’s Health and Beauty, but was unable to provide further details.Meanwhile, another clerk at the Windhoek Central Hospital, Collette Wilma Beukes, was arrested in connection with the fraud two weeks ago and has appeared in court.All of them will return to court on Wednesday next week (March 8).Police spokesman Warrant Officer James Matengu confirmed the arrests of all four people.Sources in the Ministry confirmed that the Police investigation and the forensic audit by PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PWC) had been completed and the reports submitted to the Permanent Secretary, Dr Kalumbi Shangula.”Decisions have actually been taken but have not been communicated to the affected people.The PS is busy formalising them to present to the affected people,” a source said.PWC, jointly appointed by the Ministry and the Office of the Ombudsman, helped determine how much Government lost through fraudulent activities allegedly committed by several top officials at the Windhoek State Hospital.The Ombudsman probed operations at the hospital after allegations of mismanagement, theft and widespread fraudulent overtime and travel claims were levelled against some top managers.The Ombudsman’s report ran parallel to the Police investigation.Following revelations by The Namibian last year, the Ministry moved five top health officials, including Medical Superintendent, Dr Jack Vries, to the head office “to allow a smooth investigation” into the allegations.The other four were Mootsang, Chief Matron Albeus Mashawu and senior officials dealing with overtime payments, Lucky Kaliba and Jan van Wyk.Health sources said Vries’s move to the head office had more to do with poor management than fraudulent activities.A network of senior staff members and clerks allegedly diverted hospital funds into their own accounts.In some instances, nurses would receive double payments for overtime but the clerks would insist on going with them to the bank to claim the excess amount.In other cases, private patients were allegedly asked to write cash cheques that never made it into State coffers.They were arrested six days after the owner of Sue’s Health and Beauty cc, Susan Mangani, was arrested for her involvement in alleged fraud at the hospital.She appeared in court on the same day – November 9 – and was released on bail of N$3 000.Mangani received a Government cheque for N$28 665,19 through Sue’s Health and Beauty cc from the Ministry of Health in January 2005 for allegedly supplying equipment for the hospital’s operating theatre in December the previous year.However, no operations took place during the last week of that year and the theatre was closed.When approached by The Namibian last year, Mangani denied that she was part of the scam .She said that she only delivered the items because they had been ordered by the Ministry of Health.The order was approved and co-signed by Mootsang and Ganases.The arrest of Mootsang and Ganases was confirmed by the Under Secretary in the Ministry of Health, Kautoo Mutirua.She said the two were arrested “in connection with fraudulent procurement” from Sue’s Health and Beauty, but was unable to provide further details.Meanwhile, another clerk at the Windhoek Central Hospital, Collette Wilma Beukes, was arrested in connection with the fraud two weeks ago and has appeared in court.All of them will return to court on Wednesday next week (March 8).Police spokesman Warrant Officer James Matengu confirmed the arrests of all four people. Sources in the Ministry confirmed that the Police investigation and the forensic audit by PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PWC) had been completed and the reports submitted to the Permanent Secretary, Dr Kalumbi Shangula.”Decisions have actually been taken but have not been communicated to the affected people.The PS is busy formalising them to present to the affected people,” a source said.PWC, jointly appointed by the Ministry and the Office of the Ombudsman, helped determine how much Government lost through fraudulent activities allegedly committed by several top officials at the Windhoek State Hospital.The Ombudsman probed operations at the hospital after allegations of mismanagement, theft and widespread fraudulent overtime and travel claims were levelled against some top managers.The Ombudsman’s report ran parallel to the Police investigation.Following revelations by The Namibian last year, the Ministry moved five top health officials, including Medical Superintendent, Dr Jack Vries, to the head office “to allow a smooth investigation” into the allegations.The other four were Mootsang, Chief Matron Albeus Mashawu and senior officials dealing with overtime payments, Lucky Kaliba and Jan van Wyk.Health sources said Vries’s move to the head office had more to do with poor management than fraudulent activities.A network of senior staff members and clerks allegedly diverted hospital funds into their own accounts.In some instances, nurses would receive double payments for overtime but the clerks would insist on going with them to the bank to claim the excess amount.In other cases, private patients were allegedly asked to write cash cheques that never made it into State coffers.