Wife in ‘dead husband’ arrested driving stolen car case denied bail
The couple was arrested for the matter on April 20, 2023 and the crime has left her child, who is a minor, placed under the care of her sick grandmother since her arrest.
A woman who was arrested alongside her husband, who was supposedly registered as having died after an alleged house fire last year, has been denied bail.
The matter has been postponed to November 29, for the director of public prosecutions’ instructions.
The couple was arrested on April 20, after the husband was found in possession of a stolen car in Hammanskraal.
When he was being processed, it was discovered that he was registered as deceased, according to police.
The Soshanguve magistrate’s court denied Lerato Mahlangu (32) bail as she faces charges of premeditated murder, defeating the administration of justice and fraud.
Her arrest has left her child, who is a minor, in the care of her sick mother.
The NPA confirmed that Sibusiso Mahlangu (33) faked his death.
“It is alleged he killed a person in his RDP house, and burned it down with the body inside,” said the NPA.
NPA Pretoria spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana said the wife, Lerato, then claimed the burned body was her husband.
“Despite knowing that her husband was still alive, Lerato buried the wrong person supposedly claiming he was Sibusiso.
The deceased was reported missing by his family only to find out now that he was buried already.”
Mahanjana said it is alleged that Lerato and Sibusiso killed and burnt the man in their Block HH, Soshanguve house on January 2, 2022.
“Thereafter, it is further alleged that Lerato, obtained a fraudulent death certificate from the Department of Home Affairs, claiming that Sibusiso died in the fire and later claimed against his life policies.
In court, Lerato brought her bail application in the form of an affidavit, where she stated that she intends to plead not guilty to the charges,” said Mahanjana.
“She asked to be released on bail because she wants to provide for her family as she is the sole breadwinner, and her incarceration affects her family financially.
“However, state prosecutor Luyanda Nkwale opposed the application and presented an affidavit in which the investigating officer stated that though Lerato had a clean criminal record, there was a likelihood she would evade trial as she is facing a Schedule 6 offence and might also interfere with state witnesses.”
According to Mahanjana, Nkwale told the court that the state had a strong case against the accused. The magistrate agreed that the accused showed no evidence that exceptional circumstances existed which, in the interest of justice, permitted her release on bail.
Her application was denied.
Mahanjana said the release would also have disturbed public peace and order.
She said Sibusiso abandoned his bail application on May 18 and has been in custody since.
The resident of Soshanguve was reported to have burnt beyond recognition when he “died” in the house fire.
Provincial police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Mavela Masondo said Sibusiso had been arrested in Hammanskraal following a police tip-off about a potentially stolen car.
“Police responded quickly and stopped the white VW Polo.
“After preliminary investigations, it was determined that the vehicle had been reported stolen in Emalahleni, Mpumalanga in April [last year],” Masondo said.
“Sibusiso was arrested and charged with possession of a suspected stolen motor vehicle.
“He allegedly killed and burned a person in Soshanguve in January 2022, then fled to Mpumalanga.”
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