Woman charged with faking husband’s death to claim life insurance

By Lucianne Limo

Nairobi , Kenya: A middle aged woman was arraigned in court for faking the death of her husband in order to benefit from his life insurance cover worth over half a million shillings.

Rachel Adhiambo Omondi appeared before Nairobi Senior Principal Magistrate Elena Nderitu and denied committing the eight charges of forgery, fraud and attempt to obtain money by false pretence.

Omondi, who was released on a Sh200,000 bail with a similar surety, was accused of forging several documents confirming the death of her husband Ezekiel Ochieng Ogoma.

Omondi was charged that on September 24, 2013 at unknown place jointly with others not before court, conspired to defraud Pan Africa Assurance Company Limited Sh634,936 by falsely presenting that her husband died on February 28, a fact she knew it was false.

She is further facing a second charge of forging a register of death serial number D2A 400075 purporting it to be a genuine register of death issued by Assistant Chief of Gombe sub-location confirming the death of her husband on February 28.

She is also accused of forging a police abstract purporting it to be genuine police abstract form issued by OCS Yala police station, confirming accident of her husband alleged to have been hit by a motor vehicle registration number KBG 332A on February 28 along Kisumu-Siaya road.

Omondi will also answer to charges of forging a letter from Sagam Community hospital confirming that her husband died on February 28 in their facility.

She also allegedly forged a document signed by OCS Yala confirming the occurrence of the accident along the Kisumu-Siaya road.

Omondi is also facing a charge of forging a letter to John Wainana –an officer working in the insurance firm-purporting it to be genuine letter from Sagam community hospital confirming her husband died in their facility.

The hearing of her case will commence on March 21.