RAF unit axed over abuse claims
AN RAF unit is to be disbanded after abuse allegations, the Defence Secretary revealed yesterday.
It follows claims soldiers from the RAF Regiment sexually abused a young airman during an initiation ceremony.
Ben Wallace told the Commons: “The RAF police are investigating and the victims have been offered our full support. The Chief of the Air Staff has, with my support, acted quickly. He has removed officers from the immediate chain of command without prejudice pending the findings of a police investigation.
“The unit involved, the Support Weapons Flight, will be disbanded with immediate effect. Bullying, harassment and discrimination has no place in our armed forces.” A flight consists of around 15 troops.
A WOMAN who faked her husband’s death in an “audacious fraud” to claim nearly £400,000 in life insurance walked free from court.
Thulile Bhebhe, 51, claimed her husband Bekezela Bhebhe died of a pulmonary embolism while on holiday in Zimbabwe in 2016. But it was discovered Mr Bhebhe, a nurse, was working at Charing Cross Hospital in London on the August day he was supposed to have died.
Inner London crown court heard Mr Bhebhe, 54, was cleared of involvement in the deception.
It was discovered when insurer
Aviva contacted the NHS to check whether Mr Bhebhe had died.
On being told he was alive, it refused to pay out on the £397,153 policy. Thulile Bhebhe, of Hayes, West London, must carry out 25 days of rehabilitation work and 100 hours of unpaid work. But Judge
Nigel Seed QC suspended a two-year prison sentence for two years. He said: “I’m slightly at a loss why you needed to commit the offence as you were in work until you lost your work as a result of this. And now you are in dire financial hardship.”