Man sentenced after claiming life insurance payouts

John Katege was sentenced to seven years in prison after attempting to defraud insurers of almost £1.7 million. 

He claimed his friend had died in a car accident in Uganda – but all the records were found to be false and she cannot be traced. 

A woman who was either his friend Rose Ndadye, or a woman posing as her, took out three separate life insurance policies in April 2011, with Aviva, Liverpool Victoria and Legal & General for a total value of £1.7 million. 

John Katege was the sole beneficiary of all the insurance policies.  In July 2011, the woman wrote to the insurance companies to check her cover would be valid if she travelled to Uganda in September, and to ensure that the different policies did not invalidate each other.  It was confirmed that this would not affect her cover. 

On September 18 2011, Katege wrote to insurers to inform them that Ndadye was killed in a road traffic accident in Uganda.  He submitted various documents as proof, including witness statements from people who had been present at her funeral, a police report and a post-mortem. 

A private investigator hired by the insurance companies found that these were false.  There was no traffic accident at the time claimed, Ndadye had never been a patient at the hospital the post-mortem was alleged to have taken place at, meaning the post mortem was a complete forgery.  

City of London Police investigations in Uganda confirmed this, and interviewed witnesses who pointed to substantial evidence to show that Ndadye had not died in the way that was suggested.  No trace of her alive or dead has been found in the UK or Uganda. 

Katege denied faking the documents, claiming that the discrepancies were a result of Ugandan incompetence.  However, his story did not add up and he was found guilty and sentenced to seven years.

Speaking after the sentencing, Det Sgt Tom Hill said: “Many criminals think life insurance fraud will be an easy way to make money.  However, Police and insurance companies are wise to their methods and as this case shows, national borders are no object to pursuing justice. 

“His sentenced should be a deterrent to those thinking of committing insurance fraud. 

The Judge in his remarks praised the officer in the case for bringing a complex and international case to the court.

 

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