Hospital fraud returns to court

FOUR people, among them three officials in the Ministry of Health, will appear in the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court today on charges of defrauding the Windhoek Central Hospital.

The four, business owner Susan Mangani (34), Brian Collin Mootsang (29), Klementine Ganases (36) and Collette Wilma Beukes (27) remain out on bail of N$3 000 each. They face a charge of defrauding the Government of at least N$128 916 through tenders and fraudulent purchase of goods.Mootsang and Ganases were arrested on November 14 last year while Mangani, the owner of Sue’s Health and Beauty cc, was arrested six days earlier and appeared in court on the same day.The fourth accused, Beukes, was arrested in late February this year.Mootsang, Ganases and Beukes all worked for the Ministry of Health when the alleged fraud took place.Last year, The Namibian revealed that Mangani’s company had received at least one Government cheque for N$28 665,19 from the Ministry of Health in January 2005 for supposedly supplying equipment for the hospital’s operating theatre in December the previous year.However, no surgeries took place in the hospital during the last week of that year.Mangani had denied that she was part of the scam and told The Namibian that she only delivered the goods after they were ordered by the Ministry’s staff.Documents in possession of The Namibian indicated that Ganases had signed for the order.It was alleged that a network of senior staff members and clerks at the hospital had diverted hospital funds into their own accounts.In other cases, private patients were allegedly asked to write cash cheques that never made it into State coffers.Mangani is represented by Lucius Murorua while Sisa Namandje represents Mootsang and Ganases.Sarel Maritz acts for Beukes.They face a charge of defrauding the Government of at least N$128 916 through tenders and fraudulent purchase of goods.Mootsang and Ganases were arrested on November 14 last year while Mangani, the owner of Sue’s Health and Beauty cc, was arrested six days earlier and appeared in court on the same day.The fourth accused, Beukes, was arrested in late February this year.Mootsang, Ganases and Beukes all worked for the Ministry of Health when the alleged fraud took place.Last year, The Namibian revealed that Mangani’s company had received at least one Government cheque for N$28 665,19 from the Ministry of Health in January 2005 for supposedly supplying equipment for the hospital’s operating theatre in December the previous year.However, no surgeries took place in the hospital during the last week of that year.Mangani had denied that she was part of the scam and told The Namibian that she only delivered the goods after they were ordered by the Ministry’s staff.Documents in possession of The Namibian indicated that Ganases had signed for the order.It was alleged that a network of senior staff members and clerks at the hospital had diverted hospital funds into their own accounts.In other cases, private patients were allegedly asked to write cash cheques that never made it into State coffers.Mangani is represented by Lucius Murorua while Sisa Namandje represents Mootsang and Ganases.Sarel Maritz acts for Beukes.