A HOSPITAL kitchen worker who came to the United Kingdom from Zimbabwe on a student visa and was not entitled to work full time has been jailed, following an investigation by the NHS Counter Fraud Service (CFS).

Benjamin Simbarasi, who earned £87,000 in salary during his four years and five months at Harrogate District Hospital, faces nine months’ imprisonment, a two-year suspension and 200 hours of unpaid community work, the court heard.

Simbarasi reportedly lied about his identity and stated on his application form that he was a South African national and did not require a work permit for his job as a kitchen porter.

He earlier pleaded guilty to a charge of obtaining a pecuniary advantage.

The court was told how he also denied having produced a South African passport and birth certificate at the time, which was disputed by Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust.

Polly Sladen, an NHS official in Harrogate said: “The trust carried out the necessary rigorous employment checks at the time of his employment, but his dishonesty has now come to light and appropriate action has been taken by the courts.

“The trust is satisfied with the outcome of this case and is pleased that rigorous NHS anti-fraud measures identified that this person had been working illegally, having fraudulently completed recruitment documents to obtain a post as a kitchen porter.”

Doubts over Simbarasi’s entitlement to work in the UK arose in August 2009 after it was flagged by the National Fraud Initiative.

Following investigations by the UK Border Agency, Simbarasi was arrested and subsequently interviewed by the NHS counter fraud specialists in March 2010.

He had worked at the hospital from March 2005 to August 2009.