Two denied bail for Psemas fraud

Two denied bail for Psemas fraud Two people appeared in the Windhoek Magistrate's Court last week for allegedly defrauding patients who made use of the Public Service Employee Medical Scheme (Psemas) at a private hospital in northern Namibia.

Beatrice Rachel Boois, a medical aid administration officer in the finance ministry and Patience Tuleka Mcavellem who worked as a billing officer at the private hospital, were arrested by the Anti-Corruption Commission on 2 and 3 April 2019.

Their case was postponed to 29 May 2019 for further investigation and they were denied bail.

They are accused of soliciting money from patients in order to accommodate them at the private hospital on the standard medical aid option, which does not allow private hospital admission.

A media statement issued by the ACC on Tuesday said it is alleged that Mcavellem would suggest to the patients that they can be assisted by completing the prescribed Psemas form in order to upgrade them to the higher option. She would further inform them that in order for their applications to be 'fast-tracked' they had to make a deposit into a private bank account which would purportedly be accessed by finance ministry officials in Windhoek.

It is alleged that various persons made such payments ranging from N$360 to N$1 080.

The statement went on to say that it was later discovered that the payments were made into the bank account of a minor child of Boois, who would then withdraw the money and share it with Mcavellem.



NAMPA