Durban doctor charged with fraud over faked death

An elderly Durban doctor has been charged with fraud for his alleged involvement in a multi-million life insurance scam. 

The Hawks arrested the 84-year-old man on Thursday.

The crime-fighting unit says it was discovered the ma falsely claimed to have seen the body of policy holder, Emmnuel Ponen and certified him dead after being called out to a funeral parlour in 2020. 

KZN Hawks spokesperson, Simphiwe Mhlongo, says Ponen's girlfriend, Merlen Munusamy, submitted a R6.5 million claim. 

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The insurance company conducted an internal investigation.

"It was discovered that the deceased was alive and the intention was to defraud the insurance company. A case of fraud was reported at Berea police station and the case docket was allocated to the Hawks members for intensive investigation," says Mhlongo. 

Ponen, Munusamy and funeral parlour owner Sifiso Gabela were arrested last year. 

They have been charged with fraud and are due back in the Durban Specialised Commercial Crimes Court in March.