Keith
30th September 2008, 07:10
A FORMER Port Elizabeth teacher was found guilty yesterday of stealing an unidentified body from a mortuary to allow her to claim money from insurance companies.
Magistrate Kenny Cooney convicted Bulelwa Mafani, of Motherwell, on five counts of fraud.
In her plea explanation, Mafani revealed how she had planned a scheme in 1997 to defraud Sanlam by submitting false claims.
She claimed R20000 and R263880 from Sanlam in April 1997. Both amounts were paid out, but when she claimed R63744 from Old Mutual in May that year the case was probed.
She said she had claimed the body in the New Brighton mortuary, pretending it was a relative.
Mafani appeared with Fundiswa Madlakane and Sanlam employee Lungiswa Gqamana.
Gqamana testified on behalf of the state and Madlakane was cleared of the allegation.
The trial was postponed to November 3 for sentence.
Keith's comment: Disrespecting the dead is a dispicable act, to do so for gain, is even worse.
Magistrate Kenny Cooney convicted Bulelwa Mafani, of Motherwell, on five counts of fraud.
In her plea explanation, Mafani revealed how she had planned a scheme in 1997 to defraud Sanlam by submitting false claims.
She claimed R20000 and R263880 from Sanlam in April 1997. Both amounts were paid out, but when she claimed R63744 from Old Mutual in May that year the case was probed.
She said she had claimed the body in the New Brighton mortuary, pretending it was a relative.
Mafani appeared with Fundiswa Madlakane and Sanlam employee Lungiswa Gqamana.
Gqamana testified on behalf of the state and Madlakane was cleared of the allegation.
The trial was postponed to November 3 for sentence.
Keith's comment: Disrespecting the dead is a dispicable act, to do so for gain, is even worse.