The Polokwane Magistrate’s Court has denied bail to former police sergeant Rachel Kutumela, her sister Anna Shokane and daughter Florah Shokane, who are accused of multiple insurance-related murders.
Bail ruling in Polokwane
The three women stand accused of being involved in a series of suspicious deaths since 2017, where insurance payouts worth hundreds of thousands of rands were allegedly claimed after the killings.
The ruling means they will remain in custody while the trial continues.
Investigators allege that Kutumela and her relatives took out life insurance policies on several victims and later benefited financially after their deaths. At least nine people are believed to have died under suspicious circumstances linked to the group.
Captain Keshi Mabunda, the investigating officer, told the court that whenever insurance claims were paid out, money was transferred between Kutumela, the Shokane family, and other relatives.
Mabunda also testified that Kutumela, who has since resigned from the South African Police Service, allegedly played a central role in organising the scheme.
The defence’s argument
The defence lawyer, Mukona Maiwashe, denied that Anna or Florah Shokane benefited illegally from insurance payouts.
He argued that Florah was not originally listed as a beneficiary on the policies and only became one later after Kutumela’s name was flagged by an ombudsman.
Maiwashe also insisted that the case was weak, relying mostly on circumstantial evidence—meaning there is no direct proof of the killings, only indirect evidence that suggests involvement.
“You confirmed that most of these charges are based on circumstantial evidence. Now all 32 counts date to two years and some three or five years ago,” Maiwashe said, adding that the accused are first-time offenders who had never violated court conditions before.
The three accused face 32 counts in total, linked to alleged killings for financial gain.
The trial will continue with further testimony expected from investigators and forensic experts.
Meanwhile, police are still probing the possible involvement of other family members in what has been described as a large-scale fraud and murder scheme.
