In Plea for Mercy, Man Pledges to Help Detectives Bust Fraud Scheme
"I have erred but I pray for mercy. I regret my actions and urge this court to give me a second chance," Njuguna told the magistrate
A man accused of insurance fraud by falsifying a reimbursement claim of Ksh 302,000 by pretence has admitted the offence and pleaded to the court to have mercy upon him, volunteering to help detectives reveal how health sector fraud is being committed.
While asking for leniency before the Milimani senior principal magistrate, Dolphina Alego, Ian Njuguna asked for mercy, assuring that they would work together with a team investigating how health insurance fraud, which has become rampant, is committed.
“I have erred but I pray for mercy. I regret my actions and urge this court to give me a second chance,” Njuguna told the magistrate.
He stated that he is willing to volunteer to work with the team investigating the insurance fraud to reveal how it is done. He also indicated that he can change even without a custodial sentence.
In seeking mercy, he told the court that he intended to save the judicial time rather than going through the whole process of trial, denying the offence he committed,
“Your honor consider the fact that I decided to save the judicial time rather than going the whole process of trial denying the offence I committed,” Njuguna told the court.
Further, he claimed to be a family man and a person of small means.
State prosecutor Hilary Isiakho notified the court how insurance fraud has become rampant and prayed for a deterrent sentence towards the accused.
“Your honor I suggest for a deterrent sentence considering the increase of health insurance fraud in the country,” Isiakho told the court.
He further notified the court of the sentence attracted by the offence committed, but also said he was a first-time offender.
Njuguna faces five counts of attempting to obtain money and making false documents.
He was charged that on or before August 27, 2024, at CIC Group Insurance Company’s head office in Nairobi, within the Republic of Kenya, he willfully and unlawfully presented false documents for Baragoi Catholic Nursing Home (BCNH) and a false police abstract with intent to defraud.
The court heard that, Njuguna presented a discharge summary for inpatient number 59303-24 for Baragoi Catholic Nursing Home and police abstract for OB number 36/23/08/24 from Baragoi Police Station purporting to have been admitted at the facility after being involved in a road accident on August 23, 2024, along Horr-Sutai Road. He lodged a reimbursement claim of Ksh 302,150 to CIC Insurance Company claiming to be the expense incurred for treatment which means a false fact.
He was also charged with making a false discharge summary for inpatient number 296/2024 for Baragoi Catholic Nursing Home in the name of Ian Njuguna, purporting to have originated from the said facility, which was a false fact.
The accused was further charged with making an official receipt number 59303-24 for (BCNH) for inpatient number 296/2024 under his name and police abstract for OB number 36/23/08/24, purporting it originated from Baragoi Police Station.
In another count, he was charged with attempt to obtain money by pretences at CIC Group Insurance Company Head office, being the policy holder for policy number C16338700, he attempted to obtain Ksh 302,150 as reimbursement for expenses incurred during admission at BCNH after the purported accident.
He initially denied the charges and was granted a bond of Ksh 500,000, but he later pleaded guilty and prebargained for mercy.
The court will deliver the sentence on Monday next week.
