An Eastern Cape couple has been sentenced to 30 years imprisonment for insurance fraud murders committed in 2019.
The National Prosecuting Authority's regional spokesperson, Anelisa Ngcakani says 48-year old Lebohang Mbola and 65-year old Mthunzi Mbelwana murdered Themba Mbola and Andiswa Mhlontlo in Mdantsane.
She says Lebohang, who was Themba’s ex-wife, and Mbelwana were lovers and lived together in Mdantsane, as did Themba and his partner Mhlontlo.
Mbola and Lebohang had a turbulent relationship before they were divorced in October 2017.
Ngcakani says Mbelwana applied for and received an insurance policy on the life of Mbola.
She says in the application, he fraudulently submitted that he was Mbola’s cousin.
Mbelwana and Lebohang then conspired to murder Mbola in order to claim the benefits under the policy.
"On 27 December 2017, Lebohang and Mbelwana gained forced entry into Mbola and Mhlontlo’s home. Inside there was the couple, their three minor children and a tenant, David Takaindisa. Mbelwana fired shots at Mbola while Lebohang doused him and the house with a flammable liquid and set it alight. Lebohang and Mbelwana then fled - leaving the six inside the burning house", Ngcakani said.
Mbola died at the scene while the others managed to escape.
Mhlontlo died in hospital the following day.
Ngcakani says Lebohang sustained burn wounds during the incident and was arrested in hospital.
Mbelwana submitted the insurance claim and in November 2017 policy paid out R60 000.
He was arrested in June 2018.
Mbelwana and Mbola were sentenced to 30 years in jail by the Eastern Cape High Court on Friday.
They were sentenced to 25 years each for murder, 12 years for attempted murder, seven years for arson, five years for unlawful possession of a firearm, five years for unlawful possession of ammunition and five years for fraud.
The sentences, except for the fraud sentence, were ordered to run concurrently.
