Limpopo police officer Sergeant Rachel Shokane Kutumela is the third South African Police Service (SAPS) member nabbed in connection with insurance fraud.
The other two are convicted ‘cop killer” Rosemary Ndlovu, who orchestrated the deaths of loved ones to cash in on insurance policies, she is currently serving six life sentences and her co-accused Nomsa Mudau.
The two are currently on trial, facing charges of allegedly plotting the death of Mudau’s now ex-husband.
Their conduct has been criticised by police and crime experts, who said people are meant to trust officers and it is shocking that they commit heinous crimes.
Kutumela fraudulently benefited around R10 million from funeral, accidental and life policies and faced six counts of murder, 12 of fraud and defeating the ends of justice in a shocking insurance fraud scandal.
Kutumela 43, briefly appeared at the Polokwane Magistrates Court on Friday, she will remain in custody until her next court appearance on October 18 for her bail application.
She was arrested while on duty on Thursday at Senwabarwana police station.
It is alleged that sergeant Kutumela fraudulently took out life and funeral insurance for the various victims and has since claimed R10 million as a sole beneficiary from various service providers including ABSA, Standard Bank, Capitec, Hollard , Assupol , Old Mutual , Onelife and Clientele.
“The incidents began in 2019 when the insured persons would be found dead and their bodies dumped in different areas. In one incident, a woman was burnt in her shack and in another, a man who was disabled was also discovered drowned in a dam. More arrests are expected,” said NPA Limpopo spokesperson, Mashudu Malabi Dzhangi
She said the matter was postponed to October 18, 2024 for bail application and the accused will remain in custody.
One of the victim’s sisters, Mamoloko Mashabela said she is still shocked and in disbelief that Kutumela was arrested for the alleged murder of her brother Sidney, who was living with disability.
She said her brother died in a mysterious way in 2019.
“As a family we learned through forensic investigation that our brother died from drowning. He went missing and later found that he had drowned. We were very close with Kutumela as if we were family, I am friends with her child, how am I going to look at her after learning what her mother has done. I want Kutumela to tell us who helped her kill our brother,” said Mashabela.
She also added that Kutumela buried and erected a tombstone for her brother.
“We trusted her, we thought she was a God-sent because she used to take care of our brother and the family, she used to drive her Range Rover to bring groceries for us,” she said.
Chad Thomas, an organised crime investigator from IRS Forensic Investigations said it is shocking that the people that are meant to be trusted the most are the ones committing heinous crimes.
“It is a very sad indictment on the criminal justice system when those who are paid to protect the public and investigate crime are themselves involved in such serious offences. In my opinion, police involvement in criminal activity is directly linked to the low rate of crimes that are actually solved and the ridiculously low number of criminals held accountable for their actions. The police are at the forefront of investigating crime and when they see that there are little to no consequences meted out against criminals, it emboldens those few police officers that have criminal tendencies,” said Thomas.
On Thursday, Police Minister Senzo Mchunu commended what he called the outstanding work of the SAPS following the successful arrest of Kutumela, after an extensive two-month investigation led by the highly respected Captain Keshi Mabunda.
“The nature of these crimes is deeply disturbing, with the victims meeting their ends in various violent ways. Such cruelty and disregard for human life is utterly reprehensible, and it is all the more shocking when perpetrated by someone sworn to uphold the law and protect the innocent,” said Mchunu.
He further went on to reiterate the Ministry’s stance on corruption within the SAPS.
“At the same time, I must strongly condemn, in the clearest possible terms, any acts of corruption, criminality, or betrayal by members of the police service. This arrest serves as a stark reminder that there is no place in the SAPS for officers who abuse their position of authority for personal gain or engage in unlawful conduct. Such actions not only harm innocent lives but also erode the trust that the public places in law enforcement,” Mchunu said.
Saturday Star