A 37-year old woman, Nompelo Maloyi, has been sentenced to 25-years imprisonment for hiring her neighbour to kill her 66-year-old uncle, Mynhardt Maloyi, in order to benefit from his insurance policy worth R165,000.
The victim was murdered at his home in Umasizakhe township, Graaff-Reinet.
The South African woman hired 35-year old Yithulwazi Lwazi Kay, who also bagged a 26 years jail term. Both were sentenced by the High Court of South Eastern Cape Division.
According to The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), Maloyi was found dead on November 25, 2022 inside his house in Henry Street in Graaff-Reinet with multiple stab wounds to his upper body.
Investigation by the police revealed that Nompelo had been benefiting from her uncle’s insurance policies without his knowledge.
Narrating the incident, NPA spokesperson Luxolo Tyali said the hireman was promised R20,000 by Nompelo to carry out the killing.
“Evidence presented in court revealed that she orchestrated the murder by soliciting the assistance of her neighbour, Kay, promising him a fee of R20,000 for his involvement.
On the night of the murder, Nompelo left her child with another neighbour, and together with Kay, armed with a knife, went to the Mynhardt’s home.
“Acting as his primary caregiver, Nompelo ensured access to the house. Once inside, the two accosted Mynhardt, bound his hands and feet with shoelaces, struck him on the head with a blunt object, and stabbed him multiple times in the neck. He succumbed to his injuries and died at the scene,” police told the court.
In order not to attract suspicion, Tyali further said a day after the incident, Nompelo sent a neighbour to deliver groceries to her.uncle , claiming she was concerned about not hearing from him.
The neighbour reportedly raised the alarm on getting to the uncle’s home and found his dead body.
“After the murder, Nompelo submitted claims against the insurance policies for financial gain. However, her involvement in the crime soon came to light when Kay, dissatisfied with the incomplete payment of his promised fee, began threatening her.
In a desperate move, Nompelo sought assistance from others to either eliminate Kay or lend her the balance of the promised fee.”
The prosecution however expressed disappointment in the court’s judgment saying Nompelo and her accomplice should have been given a life sentence.
“The prosecution intends to appeal what they deem an inappropriately lenient sentence. The conviction reflects our serious stance on premeditated murders perpetrated for selfish insurance gains, a troubling trend we see across the country, the prosecution said.