Plett man allegedly arranged hit on disabled adopted daughter

A man accused of orchestrating the murder of his disabled adopted daughter for a life insurance payout has been given time to appoint legal representation before applying for bail.

Mboneli Msila, 55, appeared in the Plettenberg Bay Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday.

If convicted, he faces life imprisonment.

Msila faces charges of murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition.

He has not yet pleaded and told the court he would apply for Legal Aid SA representation.

The matter was accordingly postponed to December 6.

It is the state’s case that two armed men knocked on the door of the family home in Cuba Street, Kwanokuthula, before forcing their way inside on the evening of April 30 last year.

Nosipho Mfana, 15, and two other people were asleep on mattresses in the dining area.

Her father was asleep in the bedroom and his wife was at her mother’s house.

The men allegedly pulled the blankets off the individuals on the mattresses until they found Nosipho.

After shining a flashlight in her face, they allegedly shot her.

According to a postmortem, she was shot at least 15 times in the chest, abdomen, lower body and arms.

The gunmen fled and nothing was reported stolen.

Msila’s nephew, Mbulelo Jack, Lungisile Lucas and Monde Tshemese were arrested soon after, while Msila was arrested more than a year later.

According to the state, one of the alleged hitmen has confessed to having been approached by Msila to kill the teenager.

Senior state advocate John Reyneveld said further investigations had revealed Msila was the beneficiary of a life insurance policy taken out on Nosipho, his wife and sister for R200,000 each about a month before the murder.

The state is opposed to Msila’s release on bail as the murder was allegedly premeditated.

Jack, Lucas and Tshemese are due to appear in the George regional court on February 29.