Popular comedian and social media personality Livhuwani Madadzhe was arrested on Monday morning when he appeared in the Thohoyandou High Court, sitting in Waterval. SABC Livhu, as he is more commonly known, now also faces a charge of fraud, which has been added to his ongoing murder case.
Madadzhe stands accused of murdering his partner, Lindelani Nengovhela, two years ago. Her body was found floating in a water-filled, disused toilet pit at their home in Mangondi Ha-Sidou Village. During his previous court appearance, the State indicated that, in addition to the murder charge, he would also face a fraud charge related to a 2017 incident in which he had allegedly faked his mother's death to claim insurance money.
Madadzhe arrived at court on Monday expecting to defend himself against the murder charge. However, his legal representative, Adv Ntsako Hlungwani, interrupted proceedings and requested time to consult with his client and the defence lawyers. The court adjourned briefly, but during this period, police officers entered the courtroom and requested to speak with Madadzhe. When he returned, he was in chains.
The judge asked why the police had taken him aside, to which he responded, "They wanted to arrest me." It was then confirmed that the fraud charge had been formally added to his existing case.
The court was informed that a second suspect, allegedly a Home Affairs employee, was also linked to the fraud allegations against Madadzhe. The official is accused of assisting him in falsifying death records for his mother to fraudulently claim an insurance payout. This scam allegedly allowed Madadzhe to receive a substantial sum by falsely declaring his mother dead while she was still alive.
The murder case was postponed to 17 March, when Madadzhe is scheduled to appear in court again. He has been taken to Matatshe Prison. His co-accused, the Home Affairs official, is out on warning and has indicated that she would hire a private lawyer before her next court appearance.