Online Reporter
Yeukai Karengezeka-Court Correspondent
A REGISTERED nurse from Mutare has appeared in court facing allegations of defrauding an insurance company by opening life assurance policies for three deceased individuals before claiming a total of US$15 000.
Shamiso Esinathi Nyamundanda (née Musafari), aged 40, was charged with three counts of fraud when she appeared before Harare magistrate Ms Ruth Moyo and was remanded on US$300 bail to December 9.
Nyamundanda, who is employed by the Ministry of Health ad Child Care and stationed at Bamba Rural Health Clinic, allegedly exploited her position to file the fraudulent claims.
The complainant in the case is Zimnat Life Assurance, represented in court by its assurance manager, Ms Doreen Gatsi.
According to the prosecution, led by Mr Takudzwa Jambawu, between August 1, 2022, and July this year, Nyamundanda fraudulently opened life assurance policies with Zimnat for Damsey Nhau, Herbert Mariwati and Jane Dune.
She claimed to be a relative of the deceased, enabling her to file successful claims for US$5 000 per individual. The funds were deposited into her Nedbank account.
The alleged fraud came to light when a Zimnat employee noticed that the signature on an affidavit, supposedly provided by a relative of one of the deceased, bore a striking resemblance to Nyamundanda’s signature on other documents.
This raised suspicions leading to an internal investigation and a subsequent report to the police, which culminated in Nyamundanda’s arrest.
The total amount defrauded is US$15 000, none of which has been recovered.
