'Corpse used in R1.5m scam'

The body of a woman was buried in men's pyjamas allegedly as part of a R1.5-million life insurance scam.

Six people, including two undertakers and a government mortuary employee, have been arrested for fraud following an investigation by Durban's commercial crime unit.

It is alleged that a 50-year-old man took out an insurance policy for R1.5-million on the life of an uncle who had already died.

He paid the monthly premiums promptly before making a claim.

"In October 2012, he [allegedly] wanted to proceed with lodging a fraudulent claim," KwaZulu-Natal police spokesman Colonel Vincent Mdunge said.

"His dilemma was that the uncle he had covered was already deceased. He allegedly approached a lady who works at a funeral service in Durban and promised her R15000 if she could organise a dead body and papers that would help him secure a death certificate."

Mdunge said it is believed that the woman contacted the owners of another funeral undertakers for help.

It is believed that she had been asked to find a " deceased male body" to be presented to a doctor for certification and burial .

"[The undertakers contacted by the woman] did not have a body fitting that description so [they, the owners, allegedly] acquired help from a third firm of undertakers, this one in Pinetown.

"[The Pinetown business] had a body fitting the description" but it was not available for burial.

The Pinetown undertaker allegedly complied with the request for help by lending a male body that the 50-year-old man is believed to have presented to a doctor to procure a death certificate .

It is believed the body was then taken back to the Pinetown business, the owners of which were allegedly promised R20000 for their help.

But the undertakers originally contacted by the woman still needed a body to bury.

It is believed that the Pinetown undertaker once again came to the insurance claimant's aid and purchased a female corpse for R3000 from a worker at the mortuary at RK Khan Hospital, in Chatsworth.

"The body [was allegedly] buried at Shallcross Cemetery after a payment of R6000," Mdunge said.

"The death certificate states that the deceased was male but [it was a female body dressed in men's pyjamas."

The six accused were to have appeared in the Durban Commercial Crime Court yesterday.