Alleged insurance killer defends policy: ‘My uncle was my unemployed mother’s responsibility’

Alleged insurance killer Rachel Shokane Kutumela on Thursday defended her reasons for taking out funeral policies on her family members.

The 43-year-old Kutumela appeared in the Polokwane Magistrate’s Court alongside her elder sister, 47-year-old Annah Shokane, and 23-year-old daughter, Madjadji Flora Shokane.

They face at least 30 charges including nine counts of murder, money laundering, receiving proceeds from unlawful activities, fraud and defeating the ends of justice.

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The State has accused Kutumela of killing Sydney Noko Montja, Joyce Tsela Malesa, Navel Kutumela, Maphari Ephraim Chosi, Jacob Petrus Seakamela and Phuthi Martin Mothata between 2019 and 2024.

Kutumela: ‘My uncle was my mother’s responsibility’

Kutumela described her uncle, Chosi, as a man who lived hand-to-mouth and lacked the means to support himself.

As a result, he became her mother’s responsibility. This compelled her to step in to ensure he would have a dignified burial in the event of his death.

“Growing up, we saw my uncle’s relationship with my mother as one where he appeared almost like her firstborn child. They were always together. I don’t recall him ever having a wife. He survived by doing odd jobs, drank any alcohol he could find, and smoked anything available, from cigarettes to dagga,” Kutumela told the court.

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“My uncle was not a person who would join burial societies, he did not take that responsibility. He was my mother’s responsibility.”

How Kutumela found out about uncle’s death

Kutumela said it was her daughter (accused number 3) who informed her about her uncle’s death.

“On the day he died, I received a call from my daughter. She told me that my mother received a call from the police informing her that someone was found dead on the road next to a shop,” Kutumela told the court.

“My daughter told me that my mother informed her that the police’s description of the deceased was that of Isaiah [maternal aunt’s child]. She further told me that my brothers went there to check what was happening. I drove home and on arrival, my brothers called and informed me that the deceased was not Isaiah, but Chosi.

“However, he did not appear to have any physical injuries, but someone who was just sleeping on the road because he once worked as a cleaner at the shop he was found next to. That’s how I found out about his death.”

Her uncle was about 58 years old at the time of his death in 2021.

Standard Bank funeral policy ‘paid out late’

Kutumela had taken out at least three funeral policies on her uncle. However, the Standard Bank policy only paid out after the funeral.

She said Avbob paid approximately R30,000, and that she used her savings to cover other funeral costs, with support from her siblings.

“I covered him with Avbob and the rest of the family around 2008/9. I covered the whole family including my uncle with Metropolitan too,” Kutumela said.

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“As we grew up and life changed and insurance companies told us how life was becoming more expensive, I also saw how other people gave their family members dignified funerals.

“I found out Standard Bank policies were more reasonable than Metropolitan’s. I moved my policies from Metro to Standard. Since the policies were paid by me, I did not know I could list any other person as a beneficiary.

“After my siblings got employed, they shared the burden [of insuring relatives] with me. I informed them I would remain with my uncle.”

R98K payout

On 12 August 2021, the Hollard funeral policy paid out R98,000 into Kutumela’s Capitec account.

She spent R9,500 on her uncle’s tombstone, R15,000 on other expenses, and R12,000 to improve her maternal grandmother’s tombstone.

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“We then renovated my grandmother’s home so that it is not left abandoned. I continue to take care of my grandmother’s home by hiring people to clean the yard and remove weeds and clean the property for R500 per month.”

Kutumela said that although a postmortem was conducted on her uncle, the results were never shared with her.

She also pleaded not guilty on all charges relating to his death.