Zimbabwean Nurse arrested after using identities of de@d people to claim $15,000 life assurance

A 40-year-old registered nurse from Mutare, Zimbabwe, has been arrested for allegedly defrauding Zimnat Life Assurance of USD15,000 by claiming life insurance benefits using the identities of deceased individuals.

The accused, Shamiso Esinath Nyamundanda (née Musafari), who works at Bamba Rural Health Clinic, appeared before the Harare Magistrates’ Court facing three counts of fraud.

According to the National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe, between August 2022 and July 2025, Nyamundanda opened three life insurance policies in the names of deceased persons and claimed USD5,000 per policy. She allegedly submitted forged affidavits in her handwriting, falsely presenting herself as a relative of the deceased.

The fraud was uncovered after an assurance manager noticed irregularities in the submitted documents and alerted the police. Investigations revealed that the total payouts, amounting to USD15,000, had been deposited directly into Nyamundanda’s bank account.

She was granted USD300 bail and is expected to return to court on December 9, 2025, for routine remand.

Insurance authorities have warned that fraudulent activities such as this undermine public trust and disadvantage genuine policyholders. They emphasized that professionals who abuse their positions of trust for personal gain will face the full weight of the law.

The case comes amid a growing number of insurance fraud incidents in Zimbabwe. In a separate case in June 2024, Sylvester Rusere, 36, from Hopely, was fined USD400 after fabricating a fictitious daughter and falsely reporting her death to claim EcoSure funeral benefits. He was also given a three-month suspended sentence, with the court warning he would face imprisonment if he failed to pay the fine.