Mother accused of forging payslip to avoid paying for healthcare

A new mother from Serbia has been charged with falsifying documents to avoid paying for healthcare.

Inspector Yvonne Farrugia arraigned 34 year-old Ksenija Kojovic of St. Paul’s Bay before magistrate Gabriella Vella this morning, on charges of defrauding Mater Dei Hospital and the Government out of approximately €1300 by falsely claiming to be employed, and therefore entitled to free healthcare.

The court was told that Kojovic, who is unemployed and a mother to a 5 month-old baby girl, had applied for a residence and work permit during her pregnancy but had never reported to work. 

She was accused of falsifying payslips to avoid paying for pregnancy related services at Mater Dei Hospital, after falsely claiming to be employed and therefore entitled to free healthcare. Her charges include fraud, making use of falsified documents, making false declarations to a public authority and forgery.

Defence lawyer Anne Marie Mangion entered a not guilty plea and requested bail. The prosecution did not object to bail, Inspector Farrugia explaining that the woman had been investigated since November and had been on police bail since then.

The prosecution asked the court to impose conditions that would let police keep tabs on her movement. 

The court released the woman from arrest against a personal guarantee of €5000, ordering her to observe a curfew and sign a bail book at regular intervals.