THE Mmabatho Magistrates Court in the North West has on Friday, 17 November, denied bail to a 49-year-old woman accused of killing her niece to claim for a fraudulently obtained life cover insurance policy.
Agnes Segomotsi Setshwantsho (49) is charged with murder, two counts of fraud, and defeating the ends of justice. She was arrested on Thursday, 16 November, in Pretoria following two months of investigation by police. The probe was led by Sergeant Keshi Mabunda, who is well-known for solving a case involving insurance payouts linked to infamous killer Rosemary Ndlovu.
Setshwantsho entered the courtroom and informed Magistrate Duane Spandiel that the police had informed her that she was accused of killing Bonolo Modiseemang, her 30-year-old niece. She also claimed not to have killed anyone.
Brenda Matolo, Bonolo's mother, was in tears outside the court. She said her daughter died in August 2022 after eating a sandwich. She said Setshwantso allegedly gave her the sandwich.
“The very same Segomotsi took my daughter to the local doctor after she started vomiting and having heavy diarrhea. She died about an hour after eating the sandwich,” she said.
Matolo said that despite knowing that their daughter had died after eating the sandwich that Setswantsho had allegedly given her, they had no suspicions from the start.
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“It was only a week later when the insurance officials came to our home and informed us that our daughter was insured for R1 million. That's when we became suspicious because we had no idea Setswantsho had insured her,” she said.
Matolo said three weeks ago they had to go and exhume Bonolo's body, and that was when it was revealed that she didn't die naturally but was poisoned.
“It's heartbreaking because she's leaving behind two young children, aged 10 and seven. How am I supposed to tell them their mother was murdered by her aunt?" she said.
Matolo further said they learnt from the insurance company that Setswantsho had insured Bonolo's younger sister for R2 million.
Itireleng Setswantsho, the older brother of the accused's late husband, was present in court.
He said he was not surprised that Setswantsho was accused of such things, adding that the family found out about his brother's marriage after they had already tied the knot.
He said his brother died mysteriously in 2006 and that three of his children also died strangely.
“Segomotsi has been abusing us. At one point she accused my mother of witchcraft. My mother was unable to attend this court case because it was too painful for all of us. We'd also like to find out what killed my brother and his three children," he said.
Setshwantsho ‘s lawyer Nhlanhla Mahlangu told the court that his client has a previous pending case of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. The case was postponed to November 24 for further investigations.
