Insurance murders: Officer says accused is ‘a danger to witnesses’
A detective told the Polokwane Magistrate Court that insurance murder accused Florah Shokane has been interfering with witnesses, raising concerns about their safety.
POLOKWANE – The investigating officer in the high-profile insurance murder case has testified that witnesses may be in danger if one of the accused, Florah Shokane, is granted bail.
WO Keshi Mabunda gave evidence earlier this month in the Polokwane Magistrate’s Court during Shokane’s bail hearing.
She stands accused, along with her mother Rachel Kutumela and aunt Anna Shokane, of orchestrating the deaths of nine individuals to fraudulently claim life insurance payouts.
Read more: VIDEO: Multiple charges for Rachel Kutumela’s arrested family
Mabunda told the court that since her arrest in December, Florah Shokane has been interfering with witnesses, raising serious concerns about their safety.
“There is a real fear that she may harm those who do not cooperate with her,” he stated.
He further testified that Shokane misrepresented facts in her bail affidavit, falsely claiming that she was employed prior to her arrest and that her children had no caregiver in her absence.
“We have a very strong case against the accused. If these policies had not been taken out, the deceased would still be alive. She pursued policies on people she wasn’t even related to, funded them, and shortly thereafter, those individuals were killed.”
He added that Shokane has already interfered with investigations.
“After the arrest of accused number one, she approached a witness and claimed I had forced the witness to submit an affidavit,” he told the court.
Shokane remains in custody as her bail application continues.
