A Gqeberha mom has been jailed for having son killed for insurance money. Picture: iStock
A Nelson Mandela Bay mother’s cruel and calculated plan to get her hands on a R2-million life insurance policy by orchestrating a hit on her 20-year-old son, has landed her a 25-year jail sentence for his murder.
The High Court in Gqeberha also handed down a sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment for conspiracy to commit murder.
The sentencing follows the 49-year-old Shayhieda Dollie’s chilling confession detailing the events that led to the murder of her son, Moegamat Thaafir Dollie, whose body was found in Missionvale on 28 October this year.
The Gelvandale mother stated that her frustration with her son’s ongoing battle with drug addiction and disruptive behaviour triggered her decision to have him killed.
According to her plea statement, she admitted that she herself used prescription drugs bought from local “drug posts” in Gelvandale, which is situated in the gang-ridden Northern Areas.
She explained that she moved there with her son and daughter from Uitenhage following the death of her husband in a car accident.
Dollie said that it became clear about four years ago that Thaafir had become addicted to drugs.
According to her, he dropped out of school and admitted to his addiction when she confronted him about it.
“He spent all his money on himself and drugs. Thaafir was stealing household items and using the proceeds, as well as money he had stolen, to fuel his drug use,” Dollie explained.
She said as the years went by, she realised that she had to “do something to make sure that my daughter and I are well taken care of financially”.
Dollie revealed that she decided to take out an insurance policy on Thaafir’s life in 2023.
“He was a heavy drug user and was constantly in trouble and I feared that he was not going to live long if he continued the way that he was.
“I knew that he was probably going to meet a premature end the way that many of the young men in our community unfortunately do and that he will in any case never be able to look after myself and my daughter,” she said.
Dollie went on further to detail how she had conspired with a person named “Lorenzo” and two others known as “Oompie” and “Shaun” to help her kill her son.
Initially an amount of R80 000 was discussed and that the “killers” would come from Johannesburg.
She said at various stages she decided not to go through with the plan, while the fee rose to R300 000. Dollie said when Thaafir caused “problems” again she arranged with Shaun to have him killed.
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In her statement, she said the pretext was that Thaafir would be going for a job interview and that he would be picked up.
“A vehicle duly arrived and Thaafir walked out to the vehicle. Oompie left a voice note sometime later and informed me that Thaafir had been shot in Missionvale at 07.45.”
Dollie said when the police investigation began she had already “confessed” to her brother about what she had done and that she wanted to tell the whole story to the police.
“The moment that I got word that he had been killed, I knew that I had made a terrible mistake. I decided to come clean and that is why I confided in my brother,” she said.
Shaun and Oompie are still at large. In her plea agreement, Dollie said she was “willing” to bring her co-conspirators to book.
“Society needs to be protected from such people. I acted in a selfish and stupid manner, but I need to assist in protecting society from people willing to carry out murder for hire,” Dollie said.
Arguing for an appropriate sentence, Senior State Advocate Ismat Cerfontein highlighted the severe cruelty of the crime, noting that the deliberate murder of a son by his mother was a crime of exceptional brutality.
Cerfontein called for a sentence that would both reflect the gravity of the offence and serve as a strong deterrent against similar acts of violence motivated by personal gain.
Welcoming the sentence, the National Prosecuting Authority’s (NPA) Eastern Cape director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Barry Madolo, said the conviction and sentencing demonstrated the justice system’s unwavering commitment to holding those who commit such heinous crimes accountable.
He further emphasised that the sentence serves as a reminder that crimes committed for financial gain, especially involving family members, will not be tolerated and will be met with the full force of the law.
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