FOUR Mvurwi residents were last month slapped with six-month jail terms each for fraudulently acquiring a death certificate which they later used in a foiled bid to defraud the National Social Security Authority (NSSA) to obtain a deceased’s benefits.
BY CHARLES LAITON
Jane Lifa (39) and Erina Dzvimbe (57), of Holland and Pembi Junction farms respectively, were charged alongside Teramai Simango (39) and Alfred Banda (27) of Mvurwi for contravening section 27 (2)(a) of the Birth and Death Registration Act.
Simango has since approached the High Court seeking bail pending appeal and his matter is set to be heard this week.
According to the evidence presented at the lower court, on a date unknown to the prosecution but in October last year, Lifa was approached by an unknown person who offered to help her apply for funds from NSSA if she had any relative who was deceased.
The court heard, Lifa, who knew her uncle, Nelson Manyara, had passed away in 2005, fell for the idea and decided to apply for his pension contributions. She then approached Dzvimbe and asked her to masquerade as Manyara’s wife in order to obtain a death certificate which they were to use to apply for the benefit.
On November 2 last year, the court heard, Lifa and Dzvimbe proceeded to the Mvurwi Registrar-General’s Office where they applied for Manyara’s death certificate.
The two women misrepresented to Robson Nguleta, a processing officer at the registrar’s office, that Manyara had died on September 15 last year and had been married to Dzvimbe.
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Nguleta, the court heard, asked Lifa and Dzvimbe to bring along witnesses who could testify about Manyara’s death and, determined to get the benefit, they then hired Simango and Banda to act as witnesses and offered to pay them if the deal went through.
The four, the court heard, then went back to the registrar-general’s office and were issued with death certificate number 433540 in the name of Nelson Manyara.
Armed with the death certificate, Dzvimbe approached NSSA offices on February 22 this year to apply for Manyara’s pension contributions, but NSSA officials became suspicious about the claim and reported the matter to CID Mvurwi.
Police later established that contrary to information on the convicts’ document, Manyara had died 10 years ago and was buried by his family friend, Niki Muzemi, at Holland Farm.
