In a harrowing case that has left South Africans stunned, four people have been handed hefty prison terms for orchestrating the cold-blooded murder of 23-year-old Nosipho Mafana, a mentally disabled woman who was killed in a twisted plot to cash in on multiple funeral policies taken out in her name.
The Western Cape High Court, sitting in Knysna, heard that Mafana was adopted as a child by Mboneleli Msila, who later masterminded her murder to benefit from insurance policies worth nearly half a million rand, as reported by Smile FM . Msila, along with trigger man Monde Tshemese, were both sentenced to two life terms each for conspiracy and premeditated murder. Tshemese received an additional five years for illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition.
Co-accused Mbulelo Jack and Lungisile Lucas, who helped carry out the brutal execution, were each sentenced to 17 years behind bars.
According to court evidence, Msila had adopted Mafana when she was just 11. In 2021, he took out a funeral policy from Standard Bank with a R200 000 payout clause for accidental death, which would bypass the usual waiting period. In early 2022, more policies were secured from Capitec and FNB, bringing the total potential payout to R400 000. Msila, his wife, and sister-in-law were all listed as beneficiaries.
On the night of 30 April 2022, Mafana was asleep at home in KwaNokuthula, Plettenberg Bay, when three men stormed in and shot her 15 times. The killers fled, but their identities were soon revealed thanks to a tin collector who witnessed the scene and recognized the men from the neighbourhood.