Medical Doctor found guilty of theft and fraud

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Mthatha Regional Court has on 3 August 2021 found medical doctor Chwayita Ongama Yongama Yako guilty of theft and fraud.

The 46 years old Yako who was practicing in the district of Mthatha entered into an agreement on 31 July 2011 with Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) representing Cross-Med Health Group and MPA Management Services to build a 52 bed hospital in the area.

It was agreed that he would be given a R 75million to have the hospital built but he was to also make a R 4million contribution for the construction of the facility through his company called Osteen Health Group Pty Ltd.

This is according to Hawks Spokesperson in the area Captain Yolisa Mgolodela who said IDC was supposed to be introduced as a partner in the business but the process never made it through.

“The company called Copperzone was supposed to have been introduced to IDC as a business partner with Yako’s company but it never was. The aforementioned company deposited more than R4.5 million into the Cross-Med bank account as a business partner for business related matters. Yako used R2.32 million from the Cross-Med Health Care Group bank account for his aggrandisement.”

He further opened his private company bank account with a name similar to that of the Cross-Med Health Group business account by the name of Cross-Med Mthatha Private Hospital Pty Ltd wherein he redirected funds from the medical aid schemes.”

“The complaint was lodged with the Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation team at Mthatha in September 2013 for probing which culminated in Yako’s arrest on 28 November 2018. He made his short appearance in the Mthatha Magistrates’ Court on the very same day and was released on a R10 000 bail” said Captain Mgolodela.

Yako was convicted and is set to be sentenced on 29 September 2021.