Fourth suspect arrested in R10 million insurance murder case

By Everson Luhanga

• Police arrested a 54-year-old man in Molejie, outside Seshego, in connection with the R10-million insurance murder case involving ex-police officer Rachel Kutumela.

• The man is Kutumela’s brother and faces charges of murder, fraud and money laundering after being arrested on Tuesday morning.

Police have arrested a fourth suspect in the R10-million insurance murder case in Limpopo.

The 54-year-old man was arrested at around 11am on Tuesday in Molejie, outside Seshego. Police confirmed that he is the brother of former police sergeant Rachel Kutumela, who is accused of leading a murder and insurance scam with the help of her family.

National police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe said the suspect will appear in the Polokwane Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, 5 November.

He faces charges of murder, fraud and money laundering.

“The arrest of the fourth suspect shows our determination to follow every lead in this case,” said Brigadier Mathe.

Kutumela and her co-accused, her sister Anna Shokane, 47, and daughter Florah Shokane, 23, are already behind bars. The three women were arrested in 2024, and the case has since been transferred to the Polokwane High Court.

Investigators believe the group took out funeral and life insurance policies in the names of vulnerable people, including the elderly, disabled and mentally ill, and then arranged for their murders to cash in on the payouts.

At least nine people were killed in the alleged scam, which investigators say brought in more than R10-million in fraudulent insurance claims.

The victims were linked to policies with several major insurance companies, including Hollard, Old Mutual, Capitec, Clientele and others.

Kutumela, who worked at the Senwabarwana Police Station, is accused of using her position to help cover up the crimes and avoid police detection.

The accused now face more than 30 charges, including murder, fraud, money laundering, defeating the ends of justice and receiving proceeds of crime.

The case has drawn comparisons to that of former police officer Nomia Rosemary Ndlovu, who was convicted of killing her relatives to claim insurance money.

Brigadier Mathe said investigations are ongoing: “We will hold all those involved to account and ensure justice for the victims.”

Pictured above: Police have arrested a fourth suspect in the Limpopo insurance murder case linked to former police sergeant Rachel Kutumela.

Image source: Supplied