Riot Hlatshwayo

Riot Hlatshwayo

A woman appeared in an Mpumalanga court yesterday on charges of fraud for allegedly marrying a dead man in to gain control of his estate.

Silungile Dumisa, 32, accompanied by a group of "Big Mama" female bodyguards, appeared in the Nelspruit magistrates' court accused of having conspired with a Zulu queen in Paul Pietersburg to forge an official letter confirming that she and deceased Nelspruit-based police inspector, Napoleon Ngomane, were married until his death on May 27 last year.

Dumisa then allegedly used the letter in February to convince the home affairs department to issue a marriage certificate in her favour. She then used the certificate to get a letter of authority to control Ngomane's estate.

Dumisa was not asked to plead and her case was postponed to November 29.

Superintendent Mtsholi Bhembe of the Lowveld police said yesterday: "Our investigations into the matter will continue, but I must admit I was not aware of the matter until Sowetan told me about it."

Police said Dumisa had lived with Ngomane as his girlfriend, but they had separated a few years before his death.

Ngomane then lived with another woman, Bafikile Madonsela, until his death.

Madonsela, with the help of Ngomane's family, obtained a letter of authority appointing her as executrix of Ngomane's estate, but this was challenged by Dumisa using the documents that she had allegedly fraudulently obtained.

Madonsela and Ngomane's family contested Dumisa's claims and Dumisa was later arrested after police investigations.