Sisters arrested for alleged murder of their mother

Two sisters were arrested in connection to their mother’s alleged murder on Wednesday, 29 January.

A 62-year-old woman was allegedly murdered by her daughters and three other suspects on Monday, 6 January, in Barberton, Mpumalanga.

It is alleged that she was invited by her 3o-year-old daughter for a visit and that her daughter planned her mother’s death after organising her 41-year-old friend and two other male friends to wait for her mother to arrive.

Upon her arrival, the mother was allegedly kidnapped, assaulted, raped and strangled to death by the two male friends while the daughter and her unnamed 41-year-old friend held her.

Her body was reportedly then covered with a blanket and was hidden in an outside toilet.

The mother’s body was allegedly removed and dumped in a nearby veld, with the transport organised by her other 39-year-old daughter.

A murder case was opened and an investigation ensued after her body was discovered.

The police investigation revealed that her death was well planned ahead.

“In November 2019, an insurance policy was taken by [her] friend wherein the mother’s name was in the centre of the policy. Her unnatural death simply indicated that there would be double cash payouts,” said Mpumalanga SAPS spokesperson Brigadier Leonard Hlathi in a statement.

The life insurance policy was to the tune of R40,000.

Sowetan reported that the friend allegedly obtained the 62-year-old woman’s documents from the two sisters and took out the policy.

“It transpired that a lady came to claim her life insurance,” Hlathi told Sowetan. “Obviously, she needed police information to give the insurer.”

The police then reportedly instructed the insurance company to stop the payment. One of the daughters reportedly confessed to the murder on Tuesday and was arrested.

Police suspect that the two sisters conspired to have their mother murdered for the insurance money and have launched a manhunt for the remaining suspects, according to Hlathi.

The thorough investigation led to the arrest of the two daughters on charges of murder.

However, they cannot be identified because the older one hasn’t appeared in court yet.

The 39-year-old daughter appeared in the Barberton Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, 29 January, where she was remanded in custody until 5 February.

The sister is expected to appear in the same court today while the police continue the search for the remaining suspects.

The Provincial Commissioner of Police in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Mondli Zuma, has strongly condemned the woman’s murder and welcomed the arrests thus far.

“It is very shameful to witness the murders of people who are allegedly killed or kidnapped by their own family members that are driven by greed and the love of money,” said General Zuma.

“There is indeed a degeneration of morals in our society and we call on Faith-based organisations as well as community-based organisations to work hand-in-gloves with the police with a view to instil morals in the society,” he concluded.

(Additional reporting by News24)

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