Thembisa cop's 'six-year family killing spree to pocket life insurance claims' thwarted by 'hitman', court hears

An officer who investigated the case of a policewoman accused of killing six relatives, including her lover, and plotting to murder her sister, nieces, nephews and mother to cash in on life insurance policies, says a hitman was recruited to bump him off.

Thembisa constable Nomia Ndlovu's murder and conspiracy to murder trial proceeded this week at the high court sitting in Palm Ridge. 

The 46-year-old former police officer has been behind bars for more than two years and has, over the past few weeks, sat in court as 38 witnesses testified in the multiple murder saga, including some of the hitmen allegedly hired to carry out the crimes. 

Speaking on the sidelines of the trial, investigating officer Sgt Keshi Benneth Mabunda revealed that an attempt was made to recruit a hitman to also take him out. The plot was foiled when the hitman alerted authorities. The suspect in that case is yet to be tried on a conspiracy to commit murder charge. 

During the trial it has emerged that Ndlovu's partner Yingwani Maurice Mabasa, with whom she had a child, was among those targeted over a life policy. Mabasa died after the third attempt on his life.

The first attempt allegedly failed when a hitman's firearm got jammed. In the second, he  managed to escape from a fire in the couple's rented home.

Mabasa was eventually stabbed to death, multiple times. None of the money in his possession was taken. Ndlovu had allegedly fraudulently taken out funeral cover and life insurance on his behalf, listing herself as a beneficiary. 

It was only when a hitmen allegedly recruited to murder her sister and four children, the youngest being five months old, turned to the authorities for help that a sting operation was set up and the former constable was arrested.

Ndlovu has pleaded not guilty to the crimes.  

On Wednesday she sat in the dock, scribbling notes as witnesses testified. With her hair done in bantu knots, she looked calm and unfazed.

Sharash Mashego, the paternal grandmother of Brilliant Mashego, took to the stand on Wednesday. Brilliant was Ndlovu's nephew. Ndlovu allegedly murdered Brilliant's mother Audrey in 2013 by poisoning and strangling her and later cashing out on life insurance policies.

She allegedly murdered Brilliant five years later after befriending him and promising to help him secure a job.

Sharash told the court that Ndlovu did not give her emotional or financial support after his passing. Instead, she heard she attended his funeral and stood at a distance, away from proceedings.

The court has also heard that Ndlovu at one point allegedly tried to hire a hitman to have her mother killed.

As the trial continues on Thursday, officials from various insurance companies were expected to take to the stand and testify how Ndlovu allegedly defrauded them out of more than R1m.

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