By Everson Luhanga
Looking back at the original Killsurance series, published in October 2020.
Part 1 of 9
- Sergeant Rosemary Ndlovu was in the police service for 14 years. Now she is facing 13 charges of either killing family members herself, or hiring hitmen to do it for her.
- She is also accused of plotting the murder of senior police colleagues investigating her while in prison.
- According to the police, her kill-for-cash strategy bagged her at least R1.38 million.
- After being jailed in Johannesburg Prison since 2018, Sergeant Ndlovu has been transferred to Tshwane’s main prison, Kgosi Mampuru II, under a four-car police escort.
While awaiting trial there, she joins Oscar Pistorius and other notorious convicted criminals.
Until now, Ndlovu has appeared several times in the Tembisa Court, where she has applied for bail – and failed each time.
Her case was moved to the High Court after prosecutors added more charges, including trying to plan the murder of her previous commanding officer and the investigating officer looking into the many cases against her. She resigned from the police after being arrested.
She has yet to testify, and all the allegations by the police mentioned in this series remain just allegations until the court has ruled. Ndlovu was heard telling one of her relatives outside court last month: “There is no evidence. I will be back.”
Many of Ndlovu’s remaining family members are supporting her, hoping she is found innocent and released. They dismiss the charges and say she is a loving person who helps her family with money. Her brother, Director Ndlovu, told us: “I know about the allegations. But they are just allegations and they need to be tested and proven by a court of law.”
And some of her former colleagues at Tembisa Rabasotho police station have told us that she was a respected, professional officer. On the other hand, one of the investigating officers almost broke down in court testifying about her, saying he had seen “the gates of hell.”
Read: Part 2