The 15 health officials linked to fraud involving 8,2 million dollars at the Health and Social Services Ministry in the Otjozondjupa Region, have been granted bail. The accused officials appeared before Otjiwarongo Regional Court Magistrate, Marilize du Plessis on Thursday. The officials include nurses, cleaners, ambulance drivers, accountants and a State dentist. Du Plessis granted them bail ranging between 10 and 40 000 dollars and ordered them to return to court on 13th October for continuation of their case. Control Public Prosecutor Lewis Chigunwe represented the State in the matter. Chigunwe said his office had agreed with the privately hired lawyers representing the suspects to grant them bail with no conditions attached. The suspects were arrested two-days ago after the police serious crime unit completed investigations in a fraud case that was opened in May 2014 by the office of the Otjozondjupa regional health director. It is alleged that the suspects on numerous occasions submitted false travel and overtime claims for trips they never took. These claims were processed successfully and money paid into their bank accounts.