Two suspects – accused of murdering three people and attempting to murder a fourth to fraudulently collect insurance payouts – pleaded guilty to their crimes at the Pietermaritzburg High Court on Monday.
The pair – Hlengiwe Zuma, 41, and Fisani Khoza, 40 – were both sentenced to 15 years in prison for murder, attempted murder and fraud charges, said the Hawks in a statement on Tuesday.
The terms, they said, were to run concurrently.
The two are part of the syndicate that had been defrauding insurance companies and were arrested in October 2016 following investigations by the Pietermaritzburg Organised Crime Hawks members.
Zuma and Khoza acquired life cover insurance policies for Mzomuhle Zuma – Hlengiwe's relative – as well as Sonosakhe Mdlalose, whose relative was approached by the accused to take on the policy.
On August 27, 2015, the accused took Mzomuhle Zuma to Greytown where he was placed on the road. Using a stolen vehicle, they proceeded to run over him and killed him instantly.
Zuma claimed the insurance payout and shared the money with her accomplices.
In November 2015, Zuma identified the next victim: her domestic worker.
The woman was taken a local tavern by Zuma’s accomplices and drugged before she was taken to the Copesville area where she was placed on the road.
One of the accused drove a stolen motor vehicle at a high speed and ran her over. They fled the scene without checking whether the victim was dead or not.
The victim survived and was taken to a hospital for medical attention. While she was recuperating in hospital, Zuma approached a nurse, asking her to poison and kill the victim. The nurse informed investigators, and has also turned state witness.
On March 19, 2016, Mdlalose was found lying on the road at Ematimatolo area. After an intensive investigation by Hawks members, it was revealed that Mdlalose was insured by Khoza and on the date in question. He had been intentionally run over with a stolen vehicle by the accused.
Further investigations revealed that the same accused were responsible for the death of Bongani Gcabashe who was shot and killed at Gwinyamathe area, Ematimatolo in August 2016. Gcabashe was killed after the accused failed to get him drunk and ran him over with a vehicle.
The pair's three co-accused will appear in court on November 30.
More in tomorrow's The Mercury