A couple from Chief Nhema’s area in Zaka District, Masvingo Province, was recently arraigned before the Masvingo Magistrates’ Court for faking their daughter’s death to claim money from Ecosure.
Ecosure is a company that provides funeral assurance cover that entitles a promised amount determined by the Policy Package to be paid out in the event of the death of the Insured.
According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), wife and husband, Rungamirai Machinjike (27) and Talent Rutindingwe (33, were found guilty by the courts and ordered to perform 105 hours of community service each. The NPA said:
The first accused person registered for Ecosure Funeral cover and added the second accused person, her daughter, and her cousin as dependents.
During the period extending from November 2023 to December 2023, the accused person misrepresented to Ecosure that their daughter had passed on in November 2023.
In an effort to substantiate their claim, she fraudulently obtained a death confirmation letter from the Headman and identity documents of her witnesses which she gave to her husband to go and process the claim.
The second accused person went on to complete claim forms and attached the fraudulent documents. He signed on behalf of the witnesses.
The matter came to light when Ecosure instituted preliminary investigations to verify the claim’s authenticity and established that the duo had made a false claim.
The company reported the fraud to the police leading to the arrest of the two.
They were sentenced to 6 months imprisonment of which 3 months were suspended. The remainder was suspended on condition of 105 hours of community service.
