Insurance hit: Wife gets bail
2008-03-05 19:40
Sekhukhune - A woman accused of paying R350 000 for hired killers to murder her husband so she could get his insurance money, has been granted R5 000 bail.
Elizabeth Malomane,60, was released by the Sekhukhune Magistrate's Court in Limpopo on Tuesday.
Her five co-accused, including a sangoma who was allegedly hired to conduct a cleansing ceremony after the murder, were remanded in custody pending the finalisation of their bail application on March 28.
Limpopo building contractor Lucky Solomon Malomane,57, of Tokakgomo village in Sekhukhune Municipality was stabbed to death in front of his wife in their sitting room on January 16.
Police arrested Elizabeth and the five men from Mahwelereng on February 15.
Elizabeth was released on bail when the court accepted that she had a fixed address. She had to hand over her passport to ensure that she didn't leave the country and she was warned not to interfere with witnesses.
Limpopo police spokesperson, Superintendent Mohale Ramatseba, said some of the suspects had confessed to taking part in Malomane's murder and claimed to have been paid R60 000 each after the murder.
One suspect, John Chatenge, 32, a traditional healer from Zimbabwe, was allegedly also paid R60 000 to conduct a cleansing ceremony, Ramatseba added.
The other men are: Collen Makanyela,27, Frans Mogale,21, Jacob Maleka,21, Peter Pitjeng,35.
None of the accused have been asked to plead yet.
The men, except the healer, have been charged with housebreaking with the intent to murder and murder.
The healer and Elizabeth have only been charged with conspiracy to commit murder.