An investigating officer has testified that an alleged mastermind in a R10m murder-for-insurance scheme used some of the payout to throw a lavish wedding and hire a helicopter.
Capt Keshi Mabunda revealed this on Friday while testifying in the Polokwane magistrate’s court on why the accused should not be granted bail.
It is alleged the syndicate was led by Rachel Kutumela, a former police officer who was fired after her arrest. Other alleged members are her daughter Florah Shokane Kutumela, sister Annah Shokane, husband David Kutumela, and four brothers — Thomas Shokane, William Shokane and his twin Robert, as well as Johannes Shokane — Damaris Selepe, who is a cousin, Martha Ruiters and sangoma Benedictor Mataba.
Some of their victims were their relatives, the court heard.
Mabunda said one of the victims, Noko Montja, was disabled and in a relationship with Rachel even though she was married to David at the time.
Mabunda said Rachel had taken Montja to insurance companies to insure him for funeral and life policies.
“She claimed they were married and that he was the father of her daughter, Florah. But when we made calculations, we could see that by the time Florah was born, Montja was only 12 years old.”
One day, however, Montja was found to have been fatally assaulted, and his body thrown into a dam.
After his death, Rachel received a R3m payout, Mabunda said.
‘With that money, she and her husband, David, hosted a lavish wedding where even a helicopter graced the venue.
“We know Rachel is a former police officer and David is an educator, so their salaries could not afford such a lavish wedding.”
The syndicate allegedly operated for years without being detected until they decided to take Discovery to the ombudsman for refusing to pay R2m for a person who died two months after being insured.
That complaint is believed to have burst wide open the scheme, later leading to their arrest.
“I was roped in to investigate the case after Rachel Kutumela, Annah Shokane and Florah Shokane approached the ombudsman to lodge complaints about monies not paid to them through their insurance claims,” said Mabunda.
It is understood the trio had approached the ombudsman because Discovery declined to pay R2m after Gordon Rasekoma was discovered burnt in his house only two months after he was insured.
Mabunda also told the court about Andrew Makgareetsa, who was in a relationship with Anna and was also murdered.
He said before meeting Annah, Makgareetsa was married to another woman and they had children.
However, he had problems with Annah and wanted to end the relationship.
“He was burnt inside his car. His body was then taken to his house, and the house also was burnt to make it look like an accident.”
Anna had allegedly claimed she was married to Makgareetsa and produced a lobola letter that helped her get his government pension.
Mabunda said their investigations revealed that the lobola letter was fake.
“We also went to home affairs and it confirmed that it was a fake lobola letter,” said Mabunda.
He said while Clientele and FNB paid Anna, the main reason Makgareetsa was killed was “because Annah wanted the GEPF (Government Employees Pension Fund) benefits”.
“From 2013 to date she is still receiving the payment from GEPF. I am still busy with the GEPF, for them to fix this mistake, so the benefits can go to the correct people.
“The money from the GEPF is being shared among the Shokane siblings, David Kutumela and Rachel’s daughter,” he said.
It is not the first time Annah allegedly used a fake lobola letter to claim after victims were killed. It was revealed previously that she had also produced a fake letter after Strydom Ruiters was found brutally murdered and his body thrown on the side of the road. Ruiters was a brother of Martha Ruiters, one of the accused.
The case continues.
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