A Western Cape stepfather who orchestrated the brutal murder of his disabled adopted daughter in a calculated scheme to cash in on funeral policy payouts has been sentenced to double life imprisonment by the High Court of South Africa, Western Cape Division, sitting in Knysna.
Mboneleli Msila, who masterminded the cold-blooded killing of 23-year-old Nosipho Mafana, was convicted of murder and conspiracy to commit murder. The court heard that Msila hired three hitmen to execute his horrific plan, motivated solely by greed, to claim over R600,000 from multiple funeral policies taken out in Mafana’s name.
Mafana, who had been part of Msila’s family since she was adopted at the age of 11, was shot 15 times while asleep on a mattress in the lounge of their home in Plettenberg Bay in April 2022.
According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), Msila’s hitmen were identified as Mbulelo Jack, Monde Tshemese, and Lungisile Lucas. The meticulous murder plot began more than a year before the crime, when Msila started purchasing funeral policies in Mafana’s name. One of the policies with Standard Bank was set to pay out R200,000 for unnatural death, while another policy from FNB provided a similar payout. The third policy with Capitec was increased just a month before the murder.
In April 2022, after failing to convince his neighbour to carry out the killing, Msila enlisted the three hired hitmen. On the night of April 30, the men entered the home. Jack identified Mafana, and Tshemese fired the fatal shots, while Lucas stood guard outside.
However, the plan began to unravel thanks to the vigilance of a community member. A local tin collector, who was familiar with the suspects, witnessed the three men entering the property and saw flashes of gunfire coming from the house. He later provided crucial eyewitness testimony to investigators, identifying the men involved and assisting police in tracking down Tshemese.
Although Msila attempted to claim from the insurance policies following Mafana’s death, the Standard Bank payout was halted pending the police investigation. However, Msila’s wife and sister-in-law managed to receive R200,000 each from FNB and Capitec.
During sentencing, the court handed Tshemese two life sentences for murder and conspiracy to commit murder, with an additional five years for firearm-related offenses. Jack and Lucas each received 17 years’ imprisonment for murder and conspiracy, with their sentences running concurrently.
Western Cape Director of Public Prosecutions, Advocate Nicolette Bell, described the murder as “barbaric,” emphasizing the cruelty involved in planning the murder of an innocent young woman purely for financial gain.
“This case highlights the ugly face of greed and the lengths some individuals will go to satisfy it. It is our duty as the prosecution to ensure that such crimes do not go unpunished,” said NPA spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila.
With the perpetrators behind bars, the tragic case serves as a grim reminder of the dangers posed by greed and betrayal within families.