Maria Amakali

WINDHOEK – The Windhoek Magistrate’s Court gave a final remand for investigations to be finalised in the case of Llewellyn Bezuidenhout who is facing charges of fraud in connection with medical aid claims.

Bezuidenhout, 42, was informed that investigations into his case have not yet been completed. According to the prosecution, the delay into the investigations is due to the transcription of audio recordings.

“The recordings have been forwarded already – however, it is quite a number of recordings and that has caused a delay in the investigations,” explained the prosecutor Bertolini. 

Bezuidenhout, who worked as senior accountant officer in the Ministry of Finance, is charged with a count of corruptly using his office or position for gratification, an offence in contravention of the Anti-Corruption Commission Act.

The charge emanates from an incident when he allegedly used his position as senior accountant officer of the Ministry of Finance dealing with the state-operated and owned medical aid fund, PSEMAS. 

According to the ACC at the time of his arrest, Bezuidenhout convinced a certain Ciske Smith to pay a gratification fee of N$50,000 in order to expedite medical claims of around N$1.35 million that were outstanding since 2016.

Bezuidenhout allegedly informed the said businessman that such payment would be channeled to staff at Methealth to expedite the processing of claims of medical practitioners.

Court documents allege that Bezuidenhout used his position for his own personal benefit when he requested N$50,000 from Smith in order to process his claims.

Bezuidenhout is expected to make an appearance back in court on November 1 after Magistrate Celma Amadhila postponed the matter finally for further police investigations. The court extended Bezuidenhout’s N$10,000 bail with a warning.