Former health official gets life for insurance murder

Mazitshana’s other cousins acted as hitmen

A former Eastern Cape provincial health department staffer from the forensic pathology unit has been sentenced to life imprisonment, four years after he masterminded the murder of his cousin and cashed in insurance and funeral policies he had taken out on his life.

Mthatha high court judge Buyiswa Majiki yesterday found no extraordinary reasons to deviate from handing down a life sentence to Fezile Wilberforce Mazitshana, 47, of Sidwadweni village near Mthatha, who hired hitmen and took them to the hit in a mortuary vehicle.

The man whose job was to collect the bodies of people who died unnatural deaths was also dismissed by the health department for a different case.

On Friday, Majiki found Mazitshana guilty of premeditated murder, but acquitted him of illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition. However, the judge found him unfit to own a firearm.

Investigating officer Sgt Awonke Njobe earlier told the court Mazitshana had masterminded the murder and hired hitmen, cousins Luthando Nobhuntu and Luyanda Nobhuntu to kill Madodandile Nxiwa, also a cousin.

After two failed attempts, Mazitshana had on the third attempt roped in Luthando’s girlfriend, Siphosethu Makufane, and their morbid mission was accomplished.

Nxiwa was shot dead by Luyanda at Ngxogi village near Ngcobo on January 21 2018. Residents chased and cornered the hitman, and shot and injured him.

Mazitshana was arrested on April 4 2018 after Luyanda and Luthando were arrested and turned state witnesses.

He pleaded not guilty to the murder of Nxiwa.

Mazitshana had insured Nxiwa and three other relatives with Avbob Mutual Assurance Society, Nedbank, Workers Life, Assupol, Easy Funeral Plan and Metropolitan.

Three of Mazitshana’s relatives – Nxiwa, his cousin Bhanise Mazitshana and his wife’s aunt, Nolitha Nqadolo, in whose name he took out insurance policies – were murdered and Mazitshana cashed in the policies.

“Two were shot dead, in 2013 and in 2018, and the third one was murdered with a blunt object in 2017. “Nxiwa s family were unaware

’the of policy taken out by Mazitshana,” Njobe said.

“So, Mazitshana insured all these people to enrich himself on the policies’ payouts.”

For Nxiwa, Mazitshana was paid R15,000 by Avbob, Workers Life paid R20,000, Nedbank paid out R30,000 and Assupol paid R20,000.

“[Mazitshana] wanted [Nxiwa] killed so he could cash in the policies,” Majiki said.

She said the investigating officer found out about the policies when Mazitshana came to his office with claim forms from Avbob, Sanlam, Assupol, Workers Life, Metropolitan and Nedbank for him to sign as the deceased had died unnaturally.

Majiki only concentrated on Nxiwa’s murder, saying the claim that Mazitshana was suspected in other cases was irrelevant, as he was only charged for Nxiwa’s death.

Majiki dismissed an application for leave to appeal against her judgment.

He insured people to enrich himself on policy payouts

Sgt Awonke Njobe INVESTIGATING OFFICER