Pair in trouble over hospital fraud

TWO more people have been arrested on allegations of fleecing Harare Central Hospital of more than $68 000 bringing the number of people nabbed in connection with the case to four.

Gift Ziyambe (36) and Albert Chisema (41) appeared before Harare magistrate Mr Gideon Kuvetsa facing 13 counts of fraud.

Their alleged accomplices Collen Makuyana, the institution’s accountant and Stansfield Dhokwani, have since appeared in court facing similar charges.

Chisema is the director of Malcley Health Care (Pvt) Ltd and was once employed by Laryscope Health Care (Pvt) Ltd as finance manager while Ziyambe is the director of Criticare Health Services (Pvt) Ltd and was also employed by Laryscope Health Care as marketing manager during the commission of the alleged offence.

The duo was released on $400 bail each coupled with stringent conditions among them reporting once a week to the police.

They are being represented by Mr Jivas Mudimu of Mudimu Law Chambers.

Prosecutor Mr Sebastian Mutizirwa told the court that in 2008, the Ministry of Health and Child Care awarded a tender to Laryscope Health Care (Pvt) Ltd to supply pharmaceutical products to Harare Central Hospital.

It is alleged that on December 21, 2010, the hospital requested pharmaceutical products worth $8 400 from the company.

The court heard that the goods were supplied and the pharmaceutical shop submitted requisition copies, goods received and its tax invoice.

It is alleged that on February 15, 2011, the hospital acknowledged receipt of the products. The pair allegedly connived with Makuyana and Dhokwani to forge a tax invoice.

The quartet also allegedly forged a letter purporting that Laryscope instructed the hospital to transfer all payments to Floralsplah Investment’s bank account.

Acting on the misrepresentation, it is alleged that the hospital transferred $8 400 to Floralsplah. Dhokwani, who is a signatory to Floralsplah’s bank account, allegedly withdrew the money.

It is alleged that on June 28, 2011, the hospital requested pharmaceutical products worth $2 250.

Using t he same modus operandi, the quartet forged documents bearing Ballstring Investments (Pvt) Ltd and recommended the hospital transfer money into the company’s bank account.

It is alleged that Nicholas Njanja, who is a signatory of the Ballstring’s bank account, withdrew the money in connivance with the quartet.

The court heard that the hospital made several requests for pharmaceutical supplies between December 2010 and December 2014 amounting to $68 783.

All the money was transferred into Floralsplah and Ballstring bank accounts and nothing was recovered as the quartet allegedly shared the money.