A South African policewoman appeared in court on Friday, accused of murdering six people for insurance benefits totalling at least 10 million rand ($570,000) in homicides that began in 2019.
The 43-year-old sergeant stood in the dock of a court in Polokwane, around 300 kilometres (190 miles) northeast of Johannesburg, with her face completely hidden by a sweatshirt and mask, until the court ordered her to reveal herself.
Rachel Kutumela was detained Thursday while on duty at a police station in Senwabarwana, a tiny village about 90 kilometres from Polokwane, according to authorities.
“Her victims were known to her and were from destitute and disadvantaged backgrounds, and some were disabled or mentally challenged,” the statement said.
According to the authorities, one crippled man’s body was rescued from a dam, while a lady was discovered burnt to death in a cabin.
“This is a premeditated case,” NPA provincial spokeswoman Mashudu Malabi Dzhangi told local broadcaster ENCA outside the court, which postponed the case to October 18 for a bail hearing.
Prosecutors said they expected additional arrests.
In 2021, South Africans were enthralled by a similar case, in which former police officer Rosemary Ndlovu was sentenced to life in jail for murdering five relatives and a partner in order to profit from insurance claims.
