Radio Africa’s Alfred Onyango, has clinched a prestigious continental award for his investigative article on insurance fraud.
Titled "Horror as fraudsters kill relatives for last expense insurance money," it delved into the intricate mechanisms of fraud in the insurance sector involving family members.
It exposed the extent to which family members can go to get life insurance claims even if it involves killing of their kin.
The award, presented by Nigeria's Continental Reinsurance, recognises excellence in investigative journalism and journalists' contribution towards exposing societal challenges.
Onyango's work stood out among numerous entries across the continent.
"These exceptional winners were chosen from among 121 entrants from across Africa this year. Submissions spanned 18 African countries, encompassing francophone, Anglophone, and Arabic-speaking nations," said Continental Reinsurance during the awards.
Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Malawi, Morocco, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe entered the competition.
In his award-winning piece, Onyango meticulously dissected various tactics used by fraudsters to exploit loopholes in insurance systems, costing companies millions in losses annually.
Through extensive research and interviews with industry experts, he highlighted the dire need for regulatory reforms and heightened vigilance to combat this pervasive problem.
Onyango expressed gratitude for the recognition of his work and emphasised the importance of investigative journalism in fostering transparency and accountability.
"The story was inspired by an interest to just highlight things that are happening but are not in the public knowledge and do something different away from the daily happenings,' said Onyango.
He thanked his colleagues for their support and collaboration throughout the investigative process.
Onyango's article sparked debate in the insurance industry, prompting discussion among stakeholders and policymakers on strategies to strengthen fraud detection and prevention measures.
Radio Africa Group Business Editor Francis Openda commended Onyango for the article that has ignited debate on some of the critical issues facing African economies.
