Health fraud inquiry nears end

WINDHOEK – The inquiry into alleged large-scale fraud in the Health Ministry is still under investigation, according to sources at the Office of the Ombudsman.

A major scam involving fraudulent overtime and travel claims was uncovered at the Windhoek Central Hospital at the beginning of this year, which implicated five top health officials. The suspects were moved from the hospital to the Ministry’s head office to allow a smooth investigation into activities over the past months.It is alleged that a network of senior staff members and clerks diverted hospital funds into their accounts via a special private account.Money collected at the Nurses’ Home, overtime payments for nurses and payments for hospital fees were allegedly diverted into this account, from where it was shared among a group of people.In some instances, nurses would allegedly receive double payments for overtime but the clerks would insist on going with them to the bank to claim the excess amount.The clerks claimed that the money was sent back to the Ministry of Finance, but it never reached that destination.In other cases, private patients were allegedly asked to write cash cheques that never made it into State coffers.Two suspects in the Ministry’s technical division, Leonard Obego and Bartell Lodewyk, were released on bail of N$8 000 each after they were arrested at the beginning of the year.The duo appeared in court together with the owner of an air-conditioning company, Joseph Martin.They allegedly requested payments for false claims worth thousands of dollars.With the Office of the Ombudsman expected to table a report soon, the net is expected to widen.- NampaThe suspects were moved from the hospital to the Ministry’s head office to allow a smooth investigation into activities over the past months.It is alleged that a network of senior staff members and clerks diverted hospital funds into their accounts via a special private account.Money collected at the Nurses’ Home, overtime payments for nurses and payments for hospital fees were allegedly diverted into this account, from where it was shared among a group of people.In some instances, nurses would allegedly receive double payments for overtime but the clerks would insist on going with them to the bank to claim the excess amount.The clerks claimed that the money was sent back to the Ministry of Finance, but it never reached that destination.In other cases, private patients were allegedly asked to write cash cheques that never made it into State coffers.Two suspects in the Ministry’s technical division, Leonard Obego and Bartell Lodewyk, were released on bail of N$8 000 each after they were arrested at the beginning of the year.The duo appeared in court together with the owner of an air-conditioning company, Joseph Martin.They allegedly requested payments for false claims worth thousands of dollars.With the Office of the Ombudsman expected to table a report soon, the net is expected to widen.- Nampa