Couple caught in insurance fraud
A 28-year-old man and his wife have appeared before an Accra Magistrate’s Court for acting together to forge official documents and steal from unsuspecting clients.
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Peter Nuku Coffie and Victoria Amanoo Halm, 26, were charged with forgery of official documents, stealing and abetment of crime.
Coffie pleaded guilty on the first count and was sentenced to 18 months in prison with hard labour by the presiding judge, Mr Isaac Addo.
Victoria, on her part, pleaded not guilty on all the counts and was granted bail in the sum of GH¢8,000 with two sureties.
Sgt Lois Konadu, prosecuting, said the complainant, Joseph Ekow Mensah is an Anti-Fraud Manager at the Tigo Head Office in Adabraka, Accra, while Coffie and Victoria are unemployed and residing at Gbawe.
The prosecutor said investigations disclosed that Coffie was a former employee of BIMA, a subset of Tigo and was in charge of processing and payment of insurance claims in both hospitalisation and life claims until he lost his job.
She said on October 5, 2016, a report was received by the management of Tigo from the Risk Unit to the effect that some subscribers had their claims diverted into different numbers bearing the names of Irene Ofosu and Richmond Hammond without the consent of management.
According to the prosecutor, the management of Tigo quickly alerted their staff of the development. Shortly afterwards, one of the phone numbers was used to divert the claims of three subscribers to the tune of GH¢ 3,600. The second number was also used to divert a claim of GH¢ 800.
Sgt Konadu said on November 1, 2016, Godsway Coffie, a witness in the case, presented a claim to the Tigo office at the Mallam Branch on behalf of Coffie which looked suspicious.
She said on November 8, 2016, Victoria also presented another claim at the head office and was arrested in the process.
Sergeant Konadu said during interrogation, Victoria mentioned Coffie as the one who sent her to process the claim. She, therefore, led police to arrest Coffie.
The prosecutor said in his cautioned statement, Coffie admitted the offence and added that he masterminded the registration of the two numbers which he used to divert the matured claims.
She said Coffie further stated that he used the ID cards of some claimants to register new SIM cards for them and then used same to perpetrate the deals.
The prosecutor said during a search at his residence, claim forms,10 assorted mobile phones, a printer and other accessories were retrieved.
