Insurance scam lands man in court

THE Anti-Corruption Commission has arrested a 39-year-old man on a charge of corruption after he allegedly tried to bribe an insurance assessor over a fraudulent claim.

ACC officers arrested Sartier Lukas of Wanaheda (Windhoek) on Monday following an investigation into allegations that he made misrepresentations to Santam Namibia by creating a fictitious vehicle (paper trail vehicle) supported by false import documentation and then reported it as stolen with the Namibian Police.He reported the case on November 28 last year.According to Nelius Becker, chief of investigation and prosecution at the ACC, Lukas allegedly submitted an insurance claim in respect of the vehicle, a 2008 model Toyota Land Cruiser V8 with an insured value of N$700 000, at Santam Namibia.’After investigations by an independent insurance assessor on behalf of Santam it was established that the vehicle was fictitious and didn’t exist. This was also confirmed with various enquiries during the investigation,’ Becker said.Lukas was confronted with the findings of the investigation, at which stage he allegedly offered a bribe to the assessor in order to process his claim.The matter was brought to the attention of the ACC and an investigation was launched.Lukas appeared in the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday and was granted bail of N$5 000. The case was postponed to July 23.