Mother fakes daughter’s death for cash
A 42-year-old woman reportedly faked her daughter's death in order to claim insurance money
THOHOYANDOU -A 16-year-old girl from Thohoyandou attempted suicide after she found out her mother reported her (the daughter) dead in order to claim insurance money.
Police investigations revealed a 42-year-old woman, Fulufhedzani Manngo conspired with a doctor at Tshilidzini Hospital, Sello Lebea, and a mortuary owner, Tshilidzi Nenzhelele, to fake her daughter’s death certificate in order for her to claim money from an insurance policy she took out on her daughter’s life. The other two conspirators, an attendant at a funeral parlour who signed a form stating he collected the corpse, and an employee from Makwarela Home Affairs who issued the death certificate, have since died.
An amount of R20 400 was paid into Nenzhelele’s business account by the insurance company after Manngo put in her claim in 2008.
Lebea and Nenzhelele appeared in the Thohoyandou Magistrate’s Court on Monday and were granted bail of R5 000 and R2 000 respectively. During the court proceedings, evidence came to light that the fingerprints on the death notification were faked and the teenage girl suffered abuse at the hands of her mother and stepfather for several years.
The girl, a Gr 11 learner at Marude Secondary School, made the discovery when she went to the Department of Home Affairs to apply for her ID where she was told she was listed as deceased; her mother reported her death in 2008. Traumatised by what she had uncovered, the girl tried to overdose on pills but her attempt was unsuccessful. She then informed a family friend about her discovery who alerted the police.
The teenager is currently staying at a Place of Safety. Manngo will reappear in the Thohoyandou Magistrate’s Court on Thursday (tomorrow) for a formal bail application hearing.
Lebea and Nenzhelele’s case was remanded until 30 November pending further investigation.
Spokesperson for the Limpopo Department of Health, Derrick Kganyago, said Lebea is facing a very serious charge and the department will conduct an internal labour process regarding the matter. “The merit of the case will guide the department whether to put him on preliminary suspension or not. It is a very serious offense and we must make an example of him if he is found guilty,” said Kganyago.
