‘The truth is known by God’: Killer cop Rosemary Ndlovu maintains innocence ahead of sentencing

Former police officer Nomia Rosemary Ndlovu on Friday returned to the Johannesburg High Court, sitting in the Palm Ridge Magistrates Court, for her sentencing.

UPDATE: Nomia Rosemary Ndlovu sentenced to life imprisonment for murder

Two weeks ago, Judge Ramarumo Monama found Ndlovu guilty of all charges she faced including – six counts of murder, four counts of fraud, defeating the ends of justice and attempted murder – except one charge.

At the time, Monama indicated the state had failed to prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt on the conspiracy to commit murder charge against Ndlovu so it was discharged.

She was accused of plotting to kill her sister and her sister’s five children in Bushbuckridge, Mpumalanga, so that she could cash in on insurance and funeral policy payouts.

‘The truth is known by God’

Taking the stand to testify in mitigation of her sentence, Ndlovu asked for her victim’s families forgiveness despite  maintaining her innocence.

“To the To the Mabasa, Motha, Mashego and Ndlovu families who believe I killed their family members, I didn’t do it. The truth is known by God. But I want to ask them to forgive me,” she said in Xitsonga.

The former police officer, who was stationed at the Tembisa police station, that she has made peace with the court’s decision to find her guilty.

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“I am not angry at anyone. The reason I am crying is that the people who died are my relatives and I loved them,” she continued to say.

Ndlovu told the court that she wants to serve her sentence at the Johannesburg Prison, explaining that it would be difficult for her family to travel to Kgosi Mampuru in Pretoria – where she is currently staying – to visit her.

However, the state argued that Ndlovu was moved to Kgosi Mampuru Prison because she had planned to kill the investigating officer, Sergeant Keshi Benneth Mabunda, in her case.

Insurance policies

Ndlovu was arrested after the alleged hitmen told police about her plot to murder her relatives.

She received more than R1.4 million in insurance payouts after the deaths of five of her relatives and her boyfriend over a period of six years between 2012 and 2018.

According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), the insurance policies were mostly for unnatural death and Ndlovu was beneficiary.

Watch proceedings live below: