Zimbabwe woman who faked her husband’s death in an audacious fraud to assert nearly £400,000 in life insurance, walked free from court.
Thulile Bhebhe, 51, claimed her husband died of a “pulmonary embolism” while holidaying in Zimbabwe in August, 2016.
But it was later discovered Mr Bhebhe, a nurse, was actually working a day shift at Charing Cross Hospital in London on the day he ‘died’’.
Judge Nigel Seed QC heard the couple are in terrible financial straits and suspended a two-year prison sentence for 2 years.
Mrs Bhebhe, who wore a black outfit and a face mask in the dock, looked straight ahead and appeared emotional, as the sentence was passed.
Judge Seed said: “It was an audacious fraud but you kept up your husband was dead over a period of time.
“Given that you have two dependant children at home and there’s a real prospect of rehabilitation, it is entirely in accordance with the sentencing guidelines that I should not make that sentence immediate but suspend it - to give you the opportunity to rehabilitate and find other ways of punishing you.’
Mrs Bhebhe, also a nurse who worked for the NHS Direct phone service, admitted fraud by false representation in 2018.
Inner London Crown Court heard her husband ,who is from Zimbabwe, was ignorant she had declared him dead.
Bekezela Bhebhe, 54, was accused of helping the wife submit the fake documents but denied any involvement and he was cleared in January this year.
As stated by the prosecutors, he had an image of the fraudulent death certificate on his phone and his fingerprints were being found on the original death certificate.
The judge ruled there was no evidence that he was involved on the fraud when his wife, who is originally from South Africa made the claim and ordered the jury to find him guilty not at the end of the prosecution case.
The life insurance policy, had been taken out through Barclays Bank, in 2012 and was underwritten by Aviva, with premiums ‘of £50 a month for £397,153 of cover.
blogpay
Total Comments: 0