South African Woman Sentenced to 26 Years for Hiring Neighbor to K!ll Uncle for Insurance Payout
A South African woman, Nompelo Maloyi, 37, has been sentenced to an effective 26 years in prison after hiring her neighbour to m*rder her uncle for the benefit of an insurance policy. The sentencing took place in the High Court of the South Eastern Cape Division alongside her accomplice, Yithulwazi “Lwazi” Kay, 35, who also received a 26-year sentence.
Both were convicted for the m*rder of 66-year-old Mynhardt Maloyi, whose body was discovered in November 2022 in his Graaff-Reinet home, bearing multiple st*b wounds.
Nompelo, the victim’s niece, was the beneficiary of several insurance policies totaling R165,000. Evidence presented in court revealed that she had orchestrated the m*rder by offering Kay R20,000 for his assistance.
On the night of the crime, Nompelo left her child with a neighbor and, armed with a knife, entered her uncle’s home with Kay. Acting as his primary caregiver, she ensured their access. Once inside, they bound Mynhardt’s hands and feet, struck him with a blunt object, and st*bbed him multiple times, leading to his death.
The following morning, Nompelo feigned concern and asked a neighbor to check on her uncle under the guise of delivering groceries. After the m*rder, she attempted to claim the insurance money.
Her involvement was exposed when Kay, unhappy with the partial payment of his fee, began to threaten her. In a desperate attempt to silence him, Nompelo sought help from others to either eliminate Kay or borrow the remaining fee.
While the prosecution argued for a life sentence, the court ultimately decided on a lesser sentence due to certain mitigating factors. The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) plans to appeal what they consider an overly lenient sentence.
Barry Madolo, Eastern Cape Director of Public Prosecutions, praised the prosecution team’s efforts, emphasizing the seriousness of premeditated murder for financial gain, a concerning trend in the country.