An Eastern Cape attorney arrested by the Hawks on charges of R30m fraud for allegedly raking medical negligence claims dating back to 2013 and 2016, has been granted R80,000 bail.
Controversial attorney Zuko Nonxuba was granted bail at the Mthatha Magistrate’s Court, according to a Daily Dispatch report.
Hawks spokesperson Captain Anelisa Feni said Nonxuba allegedly submitted false claims to the Health Department in which he accused nurses of being negligent towards two women giving birth in Mthatha and Ngcobo hospitals. Feni said Nonxuba was arrested by the serious commercial crimes investigation unit. “It is alleged he claimed R15m for each case between 2013 and 2016… We are not ruling out the possibility that other cases will crop up.”
Feni said upon receiving the information, the Hawks commenced with the investigation and managed to prevent the payments on both claims. “It was discovered that even the information in these claims was fraudulent, so there was never a payout,” Feni said.
The report says during his appearance, which lasted less than 30 minutes, Nonxuba appeared calm. Magistrate Bhekisa Mbonjeni granted him the bail on condition that he handed in his passport by next Friday.
The report says Nonxuba will be back in court on 25 March where the case will be transferred to a regional court.
[link url="http://dispatch.newspaperdirect.com/epaper/showarticle.aspx?article=a09e35f7-7636-475b-a41f-a78176a63697&key=eB994U8GJiIgRl6oHsPEsQ%3d%3d&issue=81482019021500000000001001"]Daily Dispatch report[/link]