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EX-ESRIC EMPLOYEE CHARGED WITH 41 COUNTS OF FRAUD

23/09/2021 08:40:00 BY TIMES REPORTER

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MBABANE – A former employee of ESRIC has been arrested and slapped with 41 counts of fraud.

Linda Sabelo Nzunza (41) of Sigangeni is alleged to have defrauded the Eswatini Royal Insurance Corporation (ESRIC) over E1.3 million. According to the charges, while he was still on employee of ESRIC, Nzunza allegedly misrepresented to the Life Claims Officer and Pensions Department at ESRIC, that certain people had passed away and their alleged relatives were entitled to claim and receive certain amounts as funeral benefits. It is alleged that in committing the offences, he purportedly used manufactured or forged documents like birth, marriage, deaths certificates and personal identity numbers (PINs) of different people whom he reportedly claimed were entitled to receive certain amounts as funeral benefits in respect of the deceased.

Misrepresentation

Through the alleged misrepresentation, ESRIC is said to have made payments ranging from E10 000 to E60 000 to the alleged beneficiaries. In one of the counts, it is alleged that he misrepresented to Irene Moketsi as the Life Claims Officer in the Group Life and Pensions Department at ESRIC that Gladys Dludlu had passed away and one Khosi Dlamini was entitled to claim and receive E60 000 as funeral benefits in respect of the deceased. Nzunza is said to have done this knowing very well that the death certificate of Phelelaphi Dludlu PIN 7308121100457 and marriage certificate number 54198 attached to the claim were false documents and that Khosi was not entitled to receive E60 000. The highest amount that the accused allegedly defrauded the corporation, according to the charge sheet, was a sum of E60 000. In another charge, it is alleged that on January 20, 2017, Nzunza unlawfully and with intent to defraud, misrepresented to Moeketsi as the Life Claims Officer in the Group Life and Pensions Department at ESRIC that Belina Dlamini had passed away and Nathi Dube was entitled to claim and receive E40 000 in terms of the policy of Samson.

It alleged that when Nzunza forwarded the alleged forged documents to the life claims officer, he knew that Dube was not entitled to receive the E40 000 as funeral benefit and thus committed the crime of fraud. On July 7, 2017, Nzunza is alleged to have employed the same modus operadi to defraud ESRIC another sum of E40 000 through another beneficiary. The accused is alleged to have misrepresented to Moeketsi that Thembi Glory Dlamini had passed away and one Lungelo Dlamini was entitled to claim and receive E40 000 as funeral benefit in respect of Themba. Again, when the accused made the alleged misrepresentation, he knew that the documents he had attached to the claim had been manufactured and that the said Lungelo was not entitled to receive the sum of E40 000.

In the charge sheet, it is further alleged that on November 7, 2017 Nzunza unlawfully and with intent to defraud misrepresented to Moketsi that Themba Henry Mndzebele passed away and Sifiso Mndzebele was entitled to claim and receive E50 000 as funeral benefit in respect of the deceased’s policy. “Whereas the said accused person at the time he made the aforesaid misrepresentation well knew that the death certificate of Themba Henry Mndzebele and birth certificate of Sifiso attached on the claim were false documents and that Sifiso was not entitled to receive the sum of E50 000,” reads part of the charge sheet. This is Nzunza’s second arrest as he is currently out on bail for a fraud charge which he allegedly committed while he was still employed at ESRIC. In this matter, he was arrested with lawyer Sikhumbuzo Hlophe, who is also out on bail. Nzuza and Hlophe are facing 15 counts of fraud.

Annuity

When the duo allegedly committed this offence, Nzuza was employed at ESRIC in the Group Life and Pensions Department and was responsible for annuity business administration. According to the charges, the accused persons allegedly misrepresented to the Manager in the Group Life and Pensions Department at ESRIC, Queen Maud Maziya, that Eliz Corporate Consultants had brokered and brought annuitants for a particular capital amount and, therefore, the company was entitled to be paid commission.
An annuity is a fixed sum of money that is paid to someone (annuitant) each year, typically for the rest of their life. It is a form of insurance or investment entitling the annuitant or investor to a series of annual sums of money. The amounts claimed as commission ranged from E5 036.22 and E123 403.84. The total amount that was allegedly claimed by Eliz Corporate Consultants was E532 178.58. Hlophe is alleged to have colluded with Nzuza during the commission of the offences.