KZN woman jailed to life imprisonment for killing her sister and church member for insurance payouts

Two people found guilty of killing three family members for insurance payouts have been sentenced to three life terms of imprisonment each. 

Mthofi Cyril Msipho,53, and Nonhlanhla Cynthia Mbele, 42, were sentenced in the Durban High Court on Thursday. 

According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in KwaZulu-Natal they were found guilty of three counts of murder and three counts of conspiracy to commit murder.

NPA spokesperson Natasha Ramkisson-Kara said Mbele was sentenced to a further 45 years imprisonment for three counts of defrauding Capitec Bank/Centriq Life Insurance of over R300 000.

"Before the incidents, Mbele devised a plan to enrich herself through fraudulent claims from funeral policies.

"Between June 2019 and September 2020, she obtained funeral cover plans through Capitec Bank Limited/ Centriq Life Insurance Company Limited (Capitec), insuring several members of her immediate family as well as people known to her.

"Mbele made herself the policyholder and the beneficiary of these policies."

The NPA said she persuaded her son to do the same, and he also obtained various funeral plans where he insured members of his extended family.

"He was the nominated beneficiary on these policies, at his mother's behest. According to the policy, Capitec undertook to pay out double the cover amount if the assured person died due to an accident or unnatural causes."

The NPA said between July 15, 2019 and June 26, 2020, Mbele colluded with Msipho, who in turn sought the assistance of others to have Suzan Xolo, her biological sister, Thamsanqa Mthembu, someone she knew from church and Thulani Mdlalose, her brother-in-law, killed.

Following their deaths, Mbele lodged a claim with the insurer and was paid out. Thereafter, she paid Msipho for his assistance.

"The complainants in the conspiracy to commit murder charges were also insured by Mbele but they managed to escape, as Mbele’s plans to have them killed did not materialise."

The NPA said the duo were arrested after someone privy to Mbele's scheme notified two of the complainants in a conspiracy to commit murder charges that their lives were in danger.

Mbele's son, who was a key witness in his mother's trial said that while he obtained the insurance policies, it was on the instruction of his mother (Mbele) who further controlled the bank accounts and the cards.

"The family members of the deceased testified that they were not aware of the life insurance policies taken out by Mbele, nor did they benefit from the payouts."

The son explained how he had warned the complainants of Mbele's plans to kill them.

Msipho and Mbele were sentenced to three terms of life imprisonment for the murders and 15 years imprisonment each on each count of conspiracy to commit murder.

"Mbele was sentenced to a further 15 years imprisonment on each count of fraud. Their sentences were ordered to run concurrently," said Ramkisson-Kara. 

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