WATCH | Insurance murder syndicate ’an evil family scheme’

The body of a disabled man found floating in a dam is believed to be what blew the lid on a 11-person syndicate behind the R10m murder-for-insurance scheme that saw people being insured without their knowledge and later killed.

The circumstances around the discovery of the disabled man’s body were suspicious because he could not have walked to the dam, and this led to the October 2024 arrest of former police officer Rachel Kutumela and family members, some of whom were arrested yesterday.

Among those arrested yesterday are Kutumela’s husband, who was arrested at the school where he works as principal. Also arrested yesterday are Kutumela’s two brothers, a cousin and a sangoma. They were arrested at their homes while one handed himself over to police. A sixth person, believed to be the twin of one of Kutemela’s brothers, is on the run.

After Kutumela’s arrest in 2024 while on duty at Senwabarana police station in Limpopo, the arrests of her sister Anna Shokane, 47, and daughter Florah Shokane, 23, followed soon afterwards.

In November last year, her brother Leshweng Johannes Shokane, 53, was arrested.

Allegations are that the syndicate extensively researched how to carry out the scheme in a killing spree that started in 2013 and ended in 2024.

Ten people were killed during the period. Two were burnt, one was found dead in a street, one person living with a disability was found floating in a dam, one died after acid was poured on him, another was found burnt inside a vehicle one person burnt to death in a shack.

Kutumela’s ex-boyfriend, who is Florah’s father, is believed to be one of the 10 victims. Anna’s two ex-husbands. one of whom was a SA Police Service member and the other a SA National Defence Force member, are also believed to have been killed.

Speaking outside the Polokwane police station after the arrests yesterday, national police spokesperson Brig Athlenda Mathe said the syndicate was preying on vulnerable individuals and underprivileged members of society. Some were disabled, and the suspects would earn their trust, she said.

“Some were working for them. They took out insurance policies on them and later they would be murdered.

“More than R10m was paid out to Rachel and her accomplices. Those we have arrested have benefited from this scheme. They have been positively linked to the murders because of the roles they played.

“Some would take out the policies, receive the money after the murders and send more than half to Rachel. Rachel would distribute to the others.

“We strongly believe two who were arrested today were the ones who would murder victims,” said Mathe.

She said the syndicate did its research very well.

“We are saying it was an organised syndicate involved in this family affair”.

“It was an organised syndicate because they made sure their victims died under mysterious circumstances. Some were shot, some were hit by objects, some were poisoned,” said Mathe.

She said it looked like it was an evil family scheme.

“They insure someone, kill them and later benefit from the cash payments. It’s quite evil. I don’t think they should be regarded as human beings because I don’t think human beings can do such to other humans.”

While all the people arrested are Kutumela’s close relatives, it is not yet known what the sangoma’s involvement is in the matter.

The suspects are expected to appear in the Polokwane magistrate’s court on charges of murder, money laundering and fraud.

Sowetan