Nurse defrauds insurance using deceased people's identities

A 40-year-old nurse from Mutare has appeared in court on allegations of defrauding Zimnat Life Assurance of US$15,000 by making false insurance claims using the identities of deceased persons.

The accused, Shamiso Esinath Nyamundanda (nee Musafari), is a state-registered nurse stationed at Bamba Rural Health Clinic in Manicaland Province.

Nyamundanda appeared before the Mutare Magistrates Court facing three counts of fraud. She was granted US$300 bail, and the case was remanded to December 9, 2025, for routine remand.

According to prosecutors, between August 2022 and July 2025, Nyamundanda allegedly fraudulently opened three life assurance policies in the names of deceased individuals and later claimed US$5,000 per policy, pretending to be a relative of the deceased.

It is alleged that she received a total of US$15,000, which was deposited into her personal bank account.

Investigations revealed that the accused used forged affidavits-bearing her own handwriting and signature-to support the fake claims.

The scheme reportedly unraveled when a Zimnat Life Assurance manager noticed irregularities in the claim documents and alerted the police, leading to her arrest.