Couple fakes husband’s death to get insurance money

Ezekiel Ochieng and Rachel Adhiambo at the Milimani law court. [Faith Karanja]

The head of fraud investigation department at Jubilee Insurance has told the court Sh600,665 compensation was paid to a woman who faked her husband’s death.

“A claim was launched in the name of Ezekiel Ochieng who was a husband to Rachel Adhiambo, the woman the money was paid to,” Kebenei Kiplimo said.

The parties appeared before chief magistrate Francis Andayi where Ochieng was directed to stop delaying the court process by cross-examining the witnesses while repeating similar questions.

Ochieng and Adhiambo have been charged twice in Nairobi for claiming compensation from different insurance companies over the fake death.

“On April 8, 2014, while reading through a newspaper, I came across news of two people charged with faking a death claim. Out of curiosity, I decided to inquire into our Jubilee records on death claims,” Kiplimo said.

He found that a death claim for Ezekiel Ochieng, a Jubilee life client, policy number IL201100019293, had been processed.

From the records, he confirmed Sh600,665 had been paid to Adhiambo on September 24, 2014.

He also recovered a handwritten letter from Adhiambo dated June 18, 2013, launching a death claim of her husband Ochieng, who allegedly died in a road accident on the Kisumu-Siaya Road on January 29, 2013.

Kiplimo also found a letter from Jubilee Insurance dated September 26, 2013, forwarding a Sh600,665 cheque to Adhiambo as a death claim settlement.

“I also recovered documents undated and signed discharge voucher by the beneficiary.”

Kiplimo said the signing was witnessed by William K Arusei Advocates & Commissioner of Oaths.

The officer also found a certificate of identity from Gombe sub-location, South Gem.

“I also found a Kenya Police Abstract on road accident OB 32/29/1/2013 signed by OCS Yala police station – Hit and Run with a fatal case,” Kiplimo said.

He added that there was a certificate of the ‘Attending Physician’ – signed but not stamped.

The officer also noted a ‘Claimant’s Statement’ by Adhiambo on July 5, 2013.

He told the court all the relevant documents were submitted to facilitate payment.

On April 8, 2014, Ochieng and Adhiambo were charged with conspiring to defraud Pan Africa Assurance Company of Sh634, 936.

The couple was charged for the second time on May 30, 2014, for claiming compensation from Jubilee.

Ochieng and Adhiambo appeared before Milimani Senior Principal Magistrate Peter Ndwiga and denied five counts of forgery and fraud.

The couple was also accused of forging a police abstract.

They are out on Sh500,000 bond.