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Sydney Kawadza : Senior Features Writer

When Phenias Tapfumanei of Mvurwi was caged for defrauding the National Social Security Authority (NSSA) in a scam that rocked the farming community surrounding the small centre in Mashonaland Central the story did not attract much attention in Zimbabwe. Not much was made of his skipping bail although Tapfumanei was leading a scam that rocked the farming communities.Tapfumanei was a well-known man on the farms but his activities shocked authorities at NSSA House in Harare.

His arrest raised fears that the scam could be widespread and both the social security authority and farm workers were losing thousands of dollars to people like him.

Tapfumanei had created a cartel with tentacles across the Mvurwi community reaching as far as Mutorashanga.

His network of bogus NSSA agents “recruited” widows and bereaved families on promises of helping them claim their benefits from NSSA.

Tapfumanei, who had skipped bail, was re-arrested and sentenced to 10 years in jail.

Four years were, however, set aside on condition that he does not commit a similar offence in the next five years.

According to sources close to the investigation on the NSSA benefits fraud, the authority’s investigators, working with the ZRP arrested 31 fraudsters linked to the network of which 22 people were convicted of defrauding the authority.

Two officers from the Registrar General’s office in Mazowe, Rabson Ngulata and Moreblessing Marongere appeared in court at the Guruve Magistrates Court in March.

The duo was, however, absolved of all charges.

Some farm workers have also been arrested for fraudulently claiming funeral grants.

However, the trend emerging from a number of cases brought before the courts indicate the existence of a cartel targeting farm workers to engage in the fraudulent activities.

In one case, Zebedia Chigango, fraudulently obtained a funeral grant in December last year.

He was arrested and appeared before the Guruve Magistrates’ Courts.

Chigango was jailed for six months for contravening the Birth and Death Registration Act.

NSSA investigations also established that there was a cartel led by six bogus NSSA agents, namely Tapfumanei, Lazarus Zulu, Chazila Motala, Kofi Norman and one Friday and one Tsunami.

Zulu was in May jailed for six months for masquerading as a NSSA agent while Motala was acquitted after facing similar charges.

The unearthing of such cases has raised concerns among authorities who believe the racket could be bigger across the country especially in the farming communities.

The modus operandi used by the suspected bogus agents involves targeting widows and bereaved families claiming that they can assist the latter to receive their funeral grants.

Some claimants have also been at the receiving end of the law for fraudulently claiming funeral grants using fake documents.

NSSA has been prejudiced more than $50 000.

NSSA acting general manager Dr Henry Chikova confirmed the developments.

“Potential prejudice to NSSA for our Harare Region only would be $52 200 assuming all the 174 claims currently under investigation were all fraudulently acquired, multiplied by $300, which is our current funeral grant pay out,” he said.

Dr Chikova said NSSA had established that the modus operandi of the people involved in fraud activities are that they run bogus NSSA agent office.

“In these bogus offices, they have a collection of all genuine NSSA forms that are used by NSSA claimants for claiming their benefits. The main NSSA form required to claim a funeral grant under our National Pension Scheme is called the P9 /10 form.

“The bogus agents keep blank forms of NSSA affidavits which they complete on behalf of their clients. These fake affidavits completed by the bogus agent are certified by commissioners of oath in and around the farming areas and also in Harare, whom they work with.”

He said NSSA bogus agents move around the farming communities recruiting potential NSSA claimants who have deceased relatives who were contributors but have not yet claimed their benefits.

“NSSA investigations have revealed that, almost all deaths reported in these farming communities where the bogus agents operate, have either short illness declared on the death certificates as causes of deaths.

“However, these deaths are never reported to the police as is required, there is no doctor‘s confirmation of death report and there is no legal marriage certificate available to prove the marriage, as all documents usually indicate the spouse’s maiden surnames,” Dr Chikova said.

He added that bogus claimants write affidavits claiming that they were customarily married to the deceased NSSA contributor to satisfy benefits claiming requirements.

They then facilitate the processing of death certificates through the Registrar General’s office near their respective locations.

“Once the death certificate has been processed, the bogus agent then provides transport to all their clients to immediately lodge a funeral grant claim with the NSSA offices.

“Funeral grant claims are normally processed instantly on production of correct documentation, according to NSSA’s Service Level Agreement with its clients.

“After the claim has been processed, the bogus agents would then demand amounts ranging from $150 to $200 out of the total funeral grant of $300 that is paid per claim.”

Dr Chikova said the bogus agents usually demand $200 per client and they service an average of 10 clients in a day.

He said farming communities are usually targeted by these fraudsters.

“Investigations to date have revealed that about 10 farms in Mashonaland Central have been targeted. For example, at Pembi Chase in Mashonaland Central where 13 cases were reported and six were successfully investigated resulting in convictions,” he said.

The fraudulent activities were unearthed when word of individuals masquerading as NSSA officials helping claimants to obtain their benefits got to the authorities.

The investigations led to the arrest of Tapfumanei, some claimants and NSSA officials who were allegedly linked to the cartel.

The scam involves the acquiring of fake death certificates, some with doctored dates when the person is supposed to have died. NSSA pays instant cash for “the funeral”.

Although NSSA has broken the racket in Mvurwi this is a small area amid fears that the scam could be larger and targeting farms across Zimbabwe.

A funeral grant is one of the four benefits currently being paid under NSSA’s Pensions and Other Benefits Scheme.

It is a benefit paid as a lump sum upon the death of the contributor or a pensioner.

The funeral grant is paid to anyone who would have met the funeral expenses of the deceased beneficiary.

NSSA guidelines for payment of funeral grants include a completed NSSA Claim P9 /10 form which has been company stamped by the last employer of the deceased contributor if still operating with the claimants signature.

The authority requires an affidavit stating employment period(s) in case of companies that have closed.

Farm workers write an affidavit stating the farm/s which the late contributor worked and state that the farm was taken over under Zimbabwe land resettlement programme.

In such cases there is no employer to sign on the given NSSA Claim P9 /10 form.

However, a certified copy of the claimant’s identity card and certified copy of marriage certificate or original affidavit by claimant stating she/he was customary married.

Also required is certified copy of death certificate, burial order or notice of death in support of claim for funeral grant and survivors pension.

No funeral grant is payable for a claim of death that occurred during period prior to April 1, 2009.

Funeral grants for death between April 1, 2009 and July 31, 2013 is $200 paid instantly on production of a claim with the required correct documents.

The funeral grant of death from August 1, 2013 to this date is $300 paid instantly on production of a claim with the required correct documents.

 

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