Limpopo ‘Insurance killer’ case postponed
Sergeant Rachel Shokane-Kutumela and relatives face murder, fraud, and money laundering charges for insurance scam; case postponed to May 7.
POLOKWANE – The case against Sergeant Rachel Shokane-Kutumela and her relatives, accused of murdering at least nine people for insurance payouts, has been postponed to May 7 for further investigations.
The Polokwane Magistrate’s Court announced the postponement on Friday, while the bail application for Shokane-Kutumela’s daughter, Flora Shokane, is set to resume on Tuesday.
The 43-year-old police officer, her 47-year-old sister, Annah Shokane, and her 27-year-old daughter face charges of murder, fraud, and money laundering.
Prosecutors allege that Rachel and Annah took out multiple life and funeral insurance policies for their victims, all of whom were known to them and came from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Rachel is accused of killing at least six people, while Annah is allegedly responsible for three murders.
The insurance payouts, made by providers such as Absa, Standard Bank, Capitec, and Old Mutual, are estimated to total R10 million.
Shokane-Kutumela was arrested in September last year after reporting for duty at the Senwabarwana Police Station, following a lengthy investigation.
Shortly after, her sister and daughter were also taken into custody in Moletji, outside Polokwane.
Both Rachel and Annah abandoned their bail applications in 2023, leaving Flora as the only suspect still seeking release on bail.
