No court appearance yet for women who took corpse to Capitec bank

The two women who were arrested after theybrought their grandmother’s corpse into a Capitec branchin KwaDukuzu, north of Durban, as proof of death in an alleged payout dispute, did not appear in court on Thursday as the matter was not paced on the court roll. The women arrived with other family members in a hearse and parked outside the bank’s doors. Three women then entered thebank, sending shocked clients running in different directions.

According to a statement released by KwaDukuza police station’s Const Siphesihle Myeni, the incident occurred at about 10am on Wednesday at a bank on Chief Albert Luthuli Street. “The family had reportedly brought the corpse to the bank due to non-payment of funeral cover insurance,” read the statement. “Reports indicate the family had two policies with the bank for their grandmother; one was paid out and the second was pending verification due to an unclear funeral parlour stamp.

The family brought the deceased’s body to the bank using a funeral parlour vehicle, causing a disturbance and intimidation,” the statement said. Myeni said the women were arrested on charges of extortion, disturbance and intimidation and were due to appear in the KwaDukuza magistrate’s court on Thursday. “The matter was not placed on the court roll.

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The senior public prosecutor has directed further investigations into the matter,” said National Prosecuting Authority KZN spokesperson Natasha Ramkisson-Kara. A policeman at the station told TimesLIVE the women were still in custody. The body was taken to the KwaDukuza mortuary.

Capitec said it was “deeply saddened by the distressing incident that occurred at our Stanger branch in KwaDukuza”. “We extend our sincere condolences to the family during what is clearly an incredibly difficult and emotional time. We understand the sensitivity of the circumstances and deeply apologise to those affected.

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