The bail hearing of Sergeant Rachel Shokane-Kutumela (43) continued in the Polokwane Magistrate's Court today, where she was cross-examined over the charges against her during her bail application hearing. She is facing six counts of premeditated murder, 12 counts of fraud and defeating the ends of justice.

QUESTIONED ABOUT HER DEAD UNCLE 

Kutumela was questioned by her defence on count 15 of her charges. This count is in connection to her late uncle (her mother's younger brother), Ephraim Choshi (50) who died on 1 August 2021. Choshi worked at a local shop as a cleaner.He was found dead in the streets of Mmotong wa Perekisi, outside Seshego. The court heard that Kutumela felt she was obligated to take out an insurance policy for her uncle because she was financially responsible for her family. "I had to take policies because I know the pain of not having a dignified funeral. My mother could not bury my father and his burial was painful to watch. My grandmother also died and her burial was also not easy on the eye. It was painful. That's how I learnt to insure my family members to avoid the bad look, including my late uncle, who was like a brother to me and a child to my mother," she said.

LIVING LARGE

Kutumela told the court that around March 2020, after claiming money from one of her policies, she transferred an amount of about R500 000 to her sister Anna Shokane (47) who is her co-accused in the matter. "On the same day, I went on to purchase two cars, a Range Rover and a Land Cruiser," she told the court. She confirmed that the money came from an accidental cover that she took for her uncle. "I transferred the money to my sister so she could buy the two cars for me on auction. A bulk of the money I used on myself but contributed a little towards the funeral. I transferred R250 000 for the purchase of the Land Cruiser and R250 000 for the Range Rover, and the two vehicles are registered in my sister's name," said Kutumela. The bail hearing of Kutumela, her sister Anna and daughter Flora Shokane (27) continues at the Polokwane Magistrate's Court tomorrow.