A couple has been arrested for allegedly diverting National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS)’s N38 million which was paid by the federal government to a Health Management Organisation (HMO), Clearline, for onward distribution to some hospitals.
The lovers, Funmilayo Oyelaja, 38, and Tunde Ogunseye, 42, fled to Ghana after the crime, but were arrested after Ogunseye returned home for the burial of his mother.
Oyelaja who worked in the company for 10 years, said she was moved to accounts unit in 2014 and that it was from that time she got involved in the fraud.
She claimed she diverted more money but personally received N38million which she transferred to her account, those of her son and sisters instead of the real hospitals.
According to her: “My bosses knew about it. It is what they do there. The company steals money from NHIS and my boss is aware of it. We are supposed to pay hospitals and return those of hospitals we cannot trace or identify. .
But instead of refunding them, Clearline we move them to another account to make it look like the money has been paid. .
I was on leave when someone called my husband that we should leave the country immediately because the company was aware we took money. They wanted us to run away so that we would not mention the names of others involved.
The company said I stole N60m but I only took N38million and the company owed more than N60million. I started to work with account in 2014. I used my share of the money to buy a house and other properties which the company has seized. .
They also took the remaining money. They have taken everything. The company is accusing only me but I am not the only one involved. I have been in Ghana since 2017. My lover was the one who helped us to flee the country. I had to come back to surrender when they arrested him,” she said.
Ogunseye confirmed it was one of his lover’s bosses who called and told him to take her out of the country immediately. He said they already had valid visas before the lid was blown, adding that his offence was assisting his woman to flee the country.
