A police sergeant stationed at Senwabarwana Police Station in Limpopo, Rachel Raesetsa Shokane Kutumela, appeared briefly in Polokwane Magistrate’s Court on Friday, facing serious allegations of committing six murders linked to an insurance fraud scheme that has amassed R10 million. Her arrest has increased the number of South African Police Service officers detained within the past week to 15.
Kutumela, 43, hailing from Moletjie Makgofe, is charged with six counts of murder and more than a dozen counts of fraud, with crimes reportedly committed between 2019 and 2014. It is alleged that she fraudulently acquired life and funeral insurance policies for her victims, subsequently claiming R10 million as the sole beneficiary from various financial institutions, including ABSA, Standard Bank, Capitec, Hollard, Assupol, Old Mutual, Onelife, and Clientele, as per the National Prosecuting Authority Limpopo Regional spokesperson Mashudu Malabi Dzhangi.
The incidents began in 2019, involving victims who were found deceased under suspicious circumstances, with bodies discovered in different locations. In one tragic event, a woman was burnt in her shack, while in another, a disabled man was found drowned in a dam. Authorities indicate that more arrests are anticipated.
The court proceedings have been postponed until Friday, 18 October, for a bail application, which the State plans to oppose.
Kutumela’s arrest follows the apprehension of 14 other police officers, including seven from Soweto arrested for the assault and subsequent death of 41-year-old Sfiso Dlamini at his residence in January 2023. Additionally, seven Public Order Policing officers were detained in Milnerton, Cape Town, facing charges of extorting money from two Chinese shopkeepers.
David Bruce, an independent researcher from the Institute for Security Studies (ISS), described the Milnerton case as involving police officers allegedly functioning as an extortion mafia. He emphasized that extortion against foreign nationals and deaths related to excessive policing are significant issues within the South African policing system.
Willem Els, a security expert at ISS, noted the internal disciplinary system’s collapse within SAPS, contributing to a culture of impunity where officers face no consequences for unlawful actions. He warned that police are often targeted and compromised by organized crime groups, which can lead to officers becoming part of syndicates for fast money.
In response to Kutumela’s arrest, Police Minister Senzo Mchunu expressed that the six victims were part of a “calculated and heinous scheme” to defraud insurance policies. He firmly stated that there is no tolerance for officers abusing their authority for personal gain and that efforts will continue to restore public confidence in the police service.
National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola stated that the arrest resulted from an extensive investigation led by Captain Keshi Mabunda. Mabunda previously oversaw the investigation leading to the conviction of former officer Rosemary Ndlovu, who received six life sentences for orchestrating the murders of her partner and five family members to claim insurance payouts.
Masemola remarked, “As a police officer, you are entrusted with the safety and security of communities. For an officer with such responsibility to engage in these acts is a disgrace.”
