The Western Cape High Court has jailed a 32-year-old pastor and a hitman to life imprisonment for the murder of a woman in a series of insurance scams that could have potentially netted them R26.9 million.
The National Prosecuting Authority said pastor Melisizwe Monqo and hitman Phumlani Qusheka, were sentenced to life imprisonment for the 2018 murder of Hlompo Koloi.
NPA spokesperson, Eric Ntabazalila, said Monqo’s wife, Siphosihle, was sentenced to an effective 20 years in jail for her part in the crime and after showing remorse.
The 32-year-old pastor at God’s Work International Ministries was convicted on 26 charges as well as 13 counts of fraud.
He said in handing down judgment, Judge Vincent Saldanha said he deviated from the prescribed minimum sentences for Pamba as she was also a victim who was abused by her husband and forced to participate in the crimes.
He said, “Pamba showed remorse, apologised to God, (and) to the family of Koloi and society.”
Ntabazalila said the case involved a scam where Monqo and his wife took out life insurance policies on behalf of church members, his ex-lover, the mother of his child, and planned their murders with intent to benefit from the payment of the life insurance policies.
“These unsuspecting victims were insured with Assupol, Liberty Life, Outsurance, 1 Life Insurance, Clientele Life ad Discovery and the accused stood to benefit more than R26.9 million,” he said.
Koloi’s body was found by a fisherman on 5 July 2018, on the side of Voëlklip gravel road near Herolds Bay on the Garden Route.
He said the investigation also revealed that other similar cases were committed in and around the jurisdictions of Grahamstown, Port Elizabeth, Bhisho, Mthatha, and Western Cape.
Ntabazalila said senior state advocate, Evadne Kortje obtained a centralisation certificate from the National Director of Public Prosecutions in order to prosecute the case in the Western Cape.
