Sunday, June 30, 2024 - An Eastern Cape couple and their three accomplices have received lengthy prison sentences for conspiring to murder an employee to claim funeral policy payouts.
The couple employed the victim, who lived on
the same street in Lingelihle, Nxuba (formerly Cradock), in 2021.
In October 2022, the victim and her
boyfriend were attacked in their home. Her boyfriend was fatally stabbed, while
she was stabbed and raped but survived to testify against the assailants.
This week, the high court in Makhanda,
sitting in Nxuba, sentenced Zizipho Pani, 34, her husband Siyathemba James, 39,
their relative Sinethemba Pani, 34, and Sizwesethu Jonas, 34, to life
imprisonment plus 15 years for their roles in the crimes. Masixole Sokoyi, 19,
a minor at the time who raped the woman, received a 25-year prison sentence.
Judge Nozuko Mviko highlighted the
importance of imposing deterrent sentences for crimes motivated by insurance
payouts.
National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson
Luxolo Tyali revealed that Zizipho Pani orchestrated the scheme. She had taken
out funeral policies with Standard Bank and Absa in 2021 that would pay
R200,000 upon the victim's death. Pani promised the men R50,000 to kill the
victim.
Despite being left for dead, the woman
managed to crawl to neighbours who called for an ambulance. She was able to
identify her attackers.
The perpetrators initially fled but were
later taken to a native doctor in Cookhouse by Zizipho Pani and her husband.
Community members intervened, requiring police to rescue them. They were
subsequently arrested.
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