Ex-nurse denies involvement in Sanlam fraud scheme

Former Onandjokwe Intermediate Hospital nurse Festus Amwaalwa told the Ondangwa Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday that he cannot commit a similar offence if granted bail as he no longer has access to a hospital.

Amwaalwa is facing charges linked to an alleged N$1.8 million Sanlam Namibia insurance fraud scheme.

During his bail hearing, he denied involvement in defrauding the insurer and said there was no risk of him interfering with investigations or reoffending.

The State alleges Amwaalwa exchanged laboratory results from the Namibia Institute of Pathology (NIP) to facilitate a fraudulent insurance claim of N$1.2 million.

Public prosecutor Erastus Christiana told the court laboratory results for Elizabeth Elifas were falsely presented as those of Klaudia Martin in December 2024 to support the claim.

He said the claim formed part of a wider scheme involving false hospitalisation claims submitted to Sanlam Namibia.

The prosecutor alleged Amwaalwa worked with doctors Fillemon Nakanduungile and Varela Carlos, as well as intern doctor Kelsey Kudumo, to facilitate the fraud.

Christiana further alleged that N$100 000 of the N$1.2 million claim was paid into a bank account belonging to Amwaalwa’s sister, while N$20 000 was allegedly paid to Kudumo.

Kudumo’s lawyer Antonius Shapumba told the court his client received N$18 000 and was unaware of the purpose of the payment.

Amwaalwa admitted receiving N$35 000 but said it was a “token of appreciation”.

He told the court the money was deposited into his sister’s account by a cleaner employed at Onandjokwe Intermediate Hospital.

The State further alleges fraudulent claims were submitted under the pretext that individuals had been admitted to Onandjokwe Intermediate Hospital and qualified for insurance benefits.

The claims were allegedly processed using date stamps from Onandjokwe Intermediate Hospital and Eenhana District Hospital.

Deadly scheme

The prosecutor also linked several other individuals to the alleged scheme.

According to Christiana, Teopolina Abner allegedly claimed N$378 000 through eight separate Sanlam claims, while Abner Mateus obtained N$125 000 from the insurer.

Mateus is also accused of masterminding the fatal attack on the late control prosecutor Justine Shiweda.

The court further heard that Mateus’ nephew, Petrus Shikwaya, allegedly claimed N$66 000.

Christiana additionally accused Amwaalwa of personally benefiting by submitting a fraudulent N$10 000 claim to Sanlam.

Amwaalwa admitted taking stamps from his office to the house of his colleague, Josua Katsilwa.

“I don’t know whether the date stamps belong to the health ministry. I thought they belonged to Katsilwa. I had no reason to confirm who the stamps belonged to,” he testified.

The prosecutor said the stamps were later recovered from Katsilwa’s house by Amwaalwa in the company of police officers.