R6m linked to mystery death

2009-07-19 11:30

Willem Pelser

Johannesburg – Investor money to the tune of R6m could be the key to the mysterious death of a Hazyview businesswoman, whose burnt body was found near Sabie.

It has come to light that Nella Francom, 49, had at least had seven life insurance policies.

It was at first believed that she had died in a car accident after her Volkswagen Caravelle drove off a cliff and her body was burnt beyond recognition in the wreckage.

But her daughter, Nella Coetzer, a Cape Town student, became suspicious when her mother’s latest will disappeared from a Hazyview bank.

She appointed a private investigator, Chris Ehlers, to find the will.

Company in trouble

Ehlers found evidence suggesting Francom had been murdered. He suspected her death came as a result of dissatisfied investors, who had invested R6m in the company owned by Francom and her second husband, Clint. He believed pressure was being exerted by the investors who wanted their money back after the company, Attraction Producers, wasn’t performing well.

Ehlers claimed several people might have conspired to have Francom murdered. Her body was never identified and she was cremated.

Police opened a case of murder after being presented with his findings.

In a report, Wilna Badenhorst of the Forensic Road Crash Investigation Services and an expert in accidents said she believed the accident scene was set up.

She said that Francom’s ID book, which was not burnt, was planted at the scene of the accident. She also said the car had moved “at a very slow speed” – almost as if it was being pushed - off the cliff.

At least seven policies were taken out on Francom’s life between 2003 and 2009 – one for R10m from Old Mutual. Coetzer will get R2m of this and her stepfather, Clint, R8m.

Two days before Francom’s death, she had made dramatic changes to the policy of R10m.

- Rapport