After three days of bail hearings, Limpopo police Sergeant Rachel Raesetsa Shokane-Kutumela, facing allegations of killing six individuals for insurance money, chose to withdraw her bail application.
Shokane-Kutumela, along with her sister Annah Shokane, 47, who works as a nurse at Cintocare Private Hospital in Menlyn, and her 23-year-old daughter Madjadji Flora Shokane, a caregiver in Pretoria North, abandoned their bail requests on Friday during proceedings at the Polokwane Magistrate’s Court.
Shokane-Kutumela was arrested on October 11, 2024, at the Senwabarwana police station in Limpopo. Her sister and daughter were added to the investigation two weeks later.
The three face serious charges, including six counts of murder, money laundering, receiving benefits from unlawful activities, twelve counts of fraud, and hindering justice.
“The money laundering allegations specifically involve Rachel Kutumela and her daughter, Madjadji,” explained Mashudu Malabi-Dzhangi from the National Prosecuting Authority. She noted that the police officer and her sister allegedly obtained life, accidental, and funeral insurance policies for several victims and claimed nearly R20 million, which they divided among themselves.
Payouts were reportedly made through various financial institutions, including ABSA, Standard Bank, Capitec, and others, as detailed by Malabi-Dzhangi.
During the bail proceedings, the police officer admitted to transferring R500,000 to her sister for the purchase of a Toyota Land Cruiser and a Range Rover at an auction in Pretoria in 2020. She stated that the vehicles were registered in her sister’s name due to COVID-19 restrictions that hindered ownership transfer.
The alleged crimes span from 2000 to 2024, with victims discovered under various circumstances. Some cases involved a woman who perished in a fire and a disabled man who drowned, occurring in areas such as Soweto, Sebokeng, and others.
The case has been postponed to February 7 for further investigation.
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