A 45 year old Helenvale woman appeared in the Gelvandale Magistrates’ Court on 28 March 2018 on charges of fraud. It is alleged that the Department of Health opened two cases of fraud in February 2018 after suspicious sick notes handed in by two employees were queried by their company.
On investigating the authenticity of the sick notes, Livingstone Hospital noted the discrepancies in the notes. In one case, the employee ‘consulted‘ the same doctor twice however different practice numbers were written on the notes and the signatures differed. In the second case, the practice number of the ‘doctor’ was not valid.
Investigations led police to a house in Reginald Street yesterday, where they confiscated 40 blank certificates and two stamps of Livingstone Hospital.
The blank certificates are photocopies. Magdalena Chesney was charged on two cases of fraud and was released on a warning to appear again on 10 April 2018. The sick notes were sold between R80 – R150.
Anyone who may suspect that false sick certificates may have been handed in by employees on a Livingstone Hospital pad is asked to contact D/Const Ursula Smit at SAPS Gelvandale on 0837335800.
South Africa Today – South Africa News
