Onandjokwe Intermediate Hospital intern doctor Kelsey Kudumo (32) has denied allegations that she participated in a fraudulent Sanlam insurance scheme involving falsified medical reports and laboratory results amounting to more than N$2.1 million.
Kudumo made the denial during her bail hearing at the Ondangwa Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday.
The state alleges that Kudumo was part of a group that facilitated fraudulent insurance claims by exchanging laboratory results from the Namibia Institute of Pathology and falsifying medical reports.
According to the prosecution, the alleged fraudulent claims initially amounted to N$1.8 million, but investigations have since revealed that the total value of the claims exceeded N$2.1 million.
Public prosecutor Erastus Christiana told the court that Kudumo allegedly worked together with medical doctors Fillemon Nakanduungile and Varela Gomes, former Onandjokwe nurse Festus Amwaalwa, alleged criminal gang leader Abner Mateus and 16 other accused persons to defraud Sanlam Namibia.
The state further alleges that Kudumo facilitated fraudulent insurance claims linked to Mateus.
Court documents indicate that laboratory results belonging to Elizabeth Elifas were allegedly falsely presented as those of Claudia Martin in December 2024 to support a fraudulent chronic illness insurance claim.
Police charge sheets further allege that Kudumo forged blood results and medical reports and drew blood from actual patients to create false medical data used in fraudulent insurance-related claims.
Christiana also told the court that Kudumo allegedly benefited N$18 000 from the scheme.
However, Kudumo denied the allegations and told the court the money was merely financial assistance from Amwaalwa, whom she described as a friend.
“I had asked for money from him to pay debts. I did not say how much I needed, but he gave me N$18 000 as a friend,” she said.
When asked by Christiana what debts she had settled with the money, Kudumo said she could not remember the specific expenses.
The state put it to her that the money was allegedly a token of appreciation for facilitating the fraudulent scheme.
Kudumo responded: “No comment.”
She also denied conspiring with the accused persons and said she does not know some of them.
“I am not guilty and I did not connive with the people I am alleged to have connived with because I do not know some of the suspects in this case,” she told the court.
Christiana informed the court that Kudumo was allegedly in South Africa at the time some of the incidents occurred.
Kudumo appealed to the court to grant her bail so she could complete her medical internship and begin her professional career.
She said she was not receiving a salary during her internship and could only afford bail between N$5 000 and N$10 000 with assistance from her parents.
Kudumo maintained that she is not a flight risk and told the court her passport expired in 2022.
She said she obtained a bachelor’s degree in medicine and surgery from a university in China.
