Shock R80k insurance murder: Suspects appear in court

A 39-year-old woman implicated in the savage killing of a Mpumalanga mother appeared in the Barberton Magistrate’s Court on Monday.

Police said it made another breakthrough in the case, arresting the final suspect in this twisted tale of murder, rape, deceit and greed. The suspect is believed to have been the boyfriend of the mastermind behind the killing.

Woman’s murder allegedly orchestrated by own daughters

Wanter Dlamini, 62, was murdered allegedly by her own daughters, all in a bid to get their hands on a R80 000 insurance payout.

The suspect’s co-accused, a 41-year-old woman who was in hiding, also appeared in the dock after being arrested on Thursday 20 February 2020.

Police believe Dlamini’s killing was orchestrated by her daughter, the 30-year-old Nonhlanhla Mthunywa, on 6 January 2020, while her sister made plans to get rid of the body.

Victim gang-raped and strangled

Mthunywa is said to have invited her mother for a visit at her home, but little did she know it was where she would meet her end.

“On that fateful day, just like any other mother would be delighted to visit their loved ones, Dlamini could apparently not contain her happiness as she prepared herself for her visit to her daughter,” said Mpumalanga police spokesperson Brigadier Leonard Hlathi.

Upon arrival, Dlamini was attacked by two men and a woman whom her daughter had allegedly roped in to help ambush her own mother.

She was gang-raped before being strangled to death. Her body was then wrapped in a blanket and hidden in an outside toilet.

It appears Mthunywa’s older sister was in on the horrific murder as they allege she organised for transport to remove her mother’s body and had it dumped at a nearby veld. The body was later found and an investigation was launched.

Money strong motive for killing

Police believe the woman’s murder could have been financially motivated after discovering that one of Mthunywa’s accomplices had taken out a life insurance policy in the victim’s name merely two months before she was murdered.

“The police investigation revealed that Dlamini’s death was planned well in advance. It has since surfaced that in November 2019, an insurance policy was taken out by Nonhlanhla’s friend in Dlamini’s name and her [Dlamini’s] unnatural death would imply that there would be double cash pay-outs,” Hlathi said.

Mpumalanga provincial police commissioner Lieutenant General Mondli Zuma has strongly condemned the Dlamini’s murder and welcomed the arrests thus far.

“It is very shameful to witness the murders of people who are allegedly killed or kidnapped by their own family members who are driven by greed and the love of money. There is indeed a degeneration of morals in our society,” Zuma said.