Dead man driving: ‘Dead’ Sosh man nabbed driving stolen car
It is alleged that despite knowing that her husband was still alive, she buried the wrong person.
A Soshanguve man, who was reported as having died in a house fire last year, was last week arrested in a stolen car.
Sibusiso Mahlangu, a resident of Soshanguve, was reported to have “died” in a house fire in 2022 and burnt beyond recognition.
Provincial police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Mavela Masondo said Sibusiso was arrested in Hammanskral following a police tip-off.
Masondo said officers in Hammanskraal got a tip about a potentially stolen car.
“Police responded quickly and stopped the white VW Polo in Hammanskraal.
“After preliminary investigations, it was determined that the vehicle had been reported stolen in Emalahleni (previously Witbank), Mpumalanga in April,” Masondo said.
“Sibusiso was arrested and charged with possession of a suspected stolen motor vehicle.”
Masondo told Rekord that later after further investigation it was determined that Sibusiso was registered as deceased in January 2022.
“He allegedly killed and burned a person in Soshanguve in January 2022, then fled to Mpumalanga.”
Mavela said a charge of murder was added.
Sibusiso and his wife, Lerato, briefly appeared before the Soshanguve magistrate’s court facing charges of murder, obstructing the administration of justice and fraud.
The NPA confirmed that Sibusiso faked his death.
“It is alleged that he killed a person at his RDP house and thereafter burned the house with the body of the deceased inside,” said NPA spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana.
Mahanjana said Lerato then claimed the burned dead body was her husband.
“Despite knowing that her husband was still alive, Lerato buried the wrong person supposedly claiming he was Sibusiso.
“She registered Sibusiso’s death at the Department of Home Affairs and allegedly got a fake death certificate.
“The deceased buried in the place of Sibusiso was reported missing by his family and only to find out now that he was buried already,” said Mahanjana.
“Lerato applied for a life insurance payout claiming her husband was dead,” Mahanjana told Rekord.
Both are remanded in custody pending further enquiries.
They will appear in the Soshanguve magistrate’s court on May 4.
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