Gqeberha police swooped on one of their own on Wednesday when a member from the Kabega Park police station was arrested for possible links to a string of fraudulent life insurance policies.
It is alleged the policewoman took out life insurance policies on a man who was killed shortly thereafter and cashed in close to R180,000 from his death despite having no family relation to him.
The arrest is one of the latest by the police’s specialised “Money for Murder” Task Team, which has launched a series of investigations into cases where suspects allegedly orchestrated hit murders to benefit from fraudulent life insurance policies.
While the 48-year-old, whose name is known to The Herald, does not face any murder charges at this stage, she is expected to appear in the Gqeberha magistrate’s court on Thursday where she will face charges of fraud and money laundering.
Police spokesperson Brigadier Nobuntu Gantana said the woman was arrested at the Kabega Park police station at about 9am on Wednesday.
“The member faces charges of fraud and money laundering linked to a case registered at SAPS Mount Road,” Gantana said.
“The investigation remains ongoing and no further details can be disclosed at this stage.”
Gantana said the arrest reaffirmed the police’s commitment to accountability and the rule of law, ensuring that all members implicated in criminal activities faced justice.
A confidential source alleged that the woman’s arrest was linked to a shooting incident in December 2023, when a man was gunned down in KwaDwesi and died in hospital a few days later.
It is alleged that the woman was the beneficiary of more than one life insurance policy on the deceased, which she applied for in the months leading up to his death.
As with previous matters investigated by the task team, the policies raised red flags when it came to light that the beneficiary was not related to the deceased.
While she faces several charges of fraud and money laundering, the source said more charges could be added as the case developed.
The woman’s colleagues at the Kabega Park police station said they were stunned by her arrest.
The members, who were attending a police sports day event at Kemsley Park, said they did not believe the officer in question was the type to get “caught up in anything shady”.
According to them, she was expected to attend the event but never arrived, which they found odd as she had shown a keen interest in participating.
“She always did her job properly,” one officer said.
Another said: “There was never anything flashy about her.
“She didn’t live large or act suspiciously at work.”
The policewoman clocked in for duty at 6am on Wednesday.
But when a reporter arrived just before 9am, her colleagues in the charge office said she was not there.
It is believed she was already being detained at that stage.
Prior to the formation of the Money for Murder Task Team, the police arrested Siyabulela Mbane, Ntombeko Msome, Xolelwa Msome, Monelwa Gwane, Unathi Peter, Luxolo Mjadu and Phumelele Mongo in September 2023.
They are alleged to be part of a criminal syndicate linked to at least 13 deaths and 40 fraudulent life insurance policies totalling more than R3.7m.
Some of the accused also face racketeering charges because they are suspected to have benefited from a series of similar illegal acts over a period of time.
The suspected criminal network was uncovered after Mbane and Mongo were allegedly linked to the murder of Aphiwe Gudula in Whittlesea in August 2022.
Ballistic evidence subsequently linked the firearm used to kill Gudula to several other murders, and information gathered during the investigation revealed suspicious insurance policies had been taken out on Gudula and the other victims.
In less than two years, claims totalling more than R3.7m were logged, of which R2.6m was paid out to the beneficiaries, while claims for the remaining R1.1m were rejected due to suspected fraudulent activity.
Besides the murder in Whittlesea, members of the suspected syndicate were allegedly linked to murders in KwaDwesi, KwaNobuhle, Despatch and Kamesh.
Similarly, Andisiwe Zondani, Siphamandla Matsha, Ayanda Yekela and Siphokazi Mabuto will return to the Motherwell Magistrate’s Court on June 10 for their alleged involvement in the double murder of Sicelo Manyashe and Siyanda Mabuto at a house in Dyakalashe Street in October 2024.
It is believed that another shooting took place at the same address six months earlier as part of an attempt to murder a member of the Mabuto family to claim a life insurance policy.
The attempted hit failed, but two people were wounded.
A second shooting took place at the same address, claiming the lives of the deceased.
All four suspects remain in custody as Zondani and Mabuto abandoned their bids for bail, while Matsha and Yekela’s formal bail applications were unsuccessful.
These and other similar investigations led to the Money for Murder Task Team being established, which has since uncovered an alarming link between numerous fraudulent insurance policies, murders and attempted murders across the province.
The Herald
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