Murder for money: Accused spills beans on life insurance 'killing'

A MAN has admitted to strangling a woman and helping to dispose of her body in a case where his former partner and her sister claimed life insurance pay-outs taken out in the name of their cousin.

The cousin’s body was retrieved on August 11, 2020, from a water canal in Douglas, where a forensic pathologist attributed the cause of death to drowning and a head injury. It was indicated that the deceased was still alive when she was thrown into the water.

The accused in the matter – Justin Tier, Naledi Leburu and Mpho Leburu – appeared in the Northern Cape High Court this week, where they pleaded not guilty to charges of murder, defeating or obstructing the course of justice, and two counts of fraud.

Following the incident, Naledi cashed in a R50,000 insurance policy, while Mpho was the beneficiary of a R30,000 pay-out.

Tier indicated that he received R10,000 after he had strangled the deceased.

“We bought food and brand-name clothes from Kimberley with the money,” he told the court.

Tier confessed to intoxicating the deceased – Ristelle Steenkamp, 27 – with wine while she was visiting the accused at the Leburu family home on August 9, 2020.

He claimed that he had acted on Naledi’s instructions, with whom he was in a relationship. He stated that she was heavily pregnant with his child at the time of the incident.

“After Steenkamp passed out, I wrapped her in a cloth. I threw her into a dustbin and discarded her body into the canal in order to conceal the murder. Naledi told me to make it appear to be a natural death, as Steenkamp was sickly,” said Tier.

He indicated that he checked her pulse to ensure that she was no longer breathing before placing her in a black plastic bag.

“Naledi phoned my friend, Denzil Mosito, to assist in carrying the dustbin to the water canal, as it was too heavy and Naledi was walking too slowly. Naledi told us that we should tell anyone who asked that we were using the dustbin to get rid of her things.”

Tier claimed that he only became aware of the policy taken out by Naledi at Metropolitan Life after it had been obtained, and that he had no knowledge of the second life policy opened by Mpho.

Senior State advocate Adele van Heerden argued that the accused acted with common purpose.

“Tier conceded that the deceased was intoxicated and unconscious and would be weak and drown when she was thrown into the water. Whether the cause of death was strangulation or drowning, the intention was to kill the deceased,” said Van Heerden.

She stated that the life policies were paid out as there was no waiting period.

“An agent testified that the accused phoned the insurance broker to find out whether the killing of a person qualified as an accidental death. Five days later, Mpho opened a life insurance policy with Outsurance in the name of the deceased.”

She added that only one month’s premium was paid by the accused.

“The policies were opened on July 1 and 6, 2020, and the deceased was killed on August 9, 2020.”

Van Heerden pointed out that the deceased’s aunt, Spas Tieties – who cared for the deceased as she was unable to work due to epilepsy – received no money towards the funeral expenses and did not benefit from the life policies.

Defence argues accused not responsible for murder

The legal representative for Tier, advocate Kgosietsile Kingsley Sebolai, argued that his client should be charged with culpable homicide and negligence, rather than murder.

“He was not medically qualified to determine if the deceased was still alive when the ‘body’ was disposed of. He never intended to drown the deceased, and the cause of death was certified as drowning, not strangulation. Tier only became aware of the life policies after they had been opened and was not involved in any fraudulent claim,” said Sebolai.

The legal representative for Naledi and Mpho Leburu, advocate Moetleetsi Mogwera, submitted that his clients should be acquitted, as they were not instrumental in the murder.

“Tier had to use great force to dispose of the body into the canal when it became stuck,” said Mogwera.

He pointed out that the witness, Denzil Mosito, had testified that he arrived on the scene after the alleged strangulation.

“He did not wish to remove the deceased’s body and was unable to stomach the smell. He only assisted in carrying the body to the water canal.”

He further indicated that the body had been submerged under water for a significant period.

“This could have affected the post-mortem results. The deceased could have passed out after ingesting drugs and not solely due to strangulation.”

Mogwera denied that the accused had misled the insurance companies or that they had acted in bad faith.

The case continues before Judge Cecile Williams.