September 09, 2024

Medical Practitioner Fined R120,000 or Five Years for Fraud

The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, known as the Hawks, reported that medical practitioner Penelope Homu has pleaded guilty to fraud charges. She was sentenced to a fine of R120,000 or five years in prison and declared unfit to possess a firearm, according to Limpopo Hawks spokesperson Warrant Officer Lethunya Mmuroa.

In 2021, the Platinum Health Medical Scheme (PHMS) detected a surge in claims from February 2, 2020, to December 18, 2020. An internal investigation revealed that Homu, 41, had submitted the fraudulent claims. She appeared before the Giyani Specialised Commercial Crime Court to face the charges.