adminThulani Ndlovu
THE wife of a former British Special Services soldier (SAS) who was found dead in the country two years ago has alleged that his family in the United Kingdom were pursuing an inquest in order to cash in on millions of pounds in life insurance policies in that country.
Robert Wood (54) was found hanging in the spare room of a Four Winds home which he shared with his Zimbabwean wife, Ms Gugulethu Henrietta Dube.
Life Insurance is a policy that pays large sums of money after the death of a person. It is standard industry practice that insurance companies do not pay, if the cause of death is suicide.
“My husband travelled around the world, working in volatile regions such as Sierra Leone. It is probable that he had life insurance policies which would have paid out large sums of money in the unfortunate event of his death as he worked in dangerous areas,” Ms Dube said.
Mr Ian Wood, a brother to the late serviceman, who came from United Kingdom to attend an inquest into Wood’s death that opened last Monday, told the court that he was convinced that his brother was murdered by a syndicate organised by Ms Dube.
An inquest is an inquiry by the court held to determine a person’s cause of death.
If a court is of the opinion that a person was murdered, it can order a further investigation and criminal prosecution of the suspects.
“Dube murdered Robert to benefit from the fraudulent will that she drew up herself. I am not here to seek monetary benefits but to seek justice and closure for the family,” Mr Wood said.
Ms Dube said the allegations that she killed Wood for money were preposterous and took a swipe at the media for suggesting that she only knew Wood for two weeks before he died. “I had known Wood for 10 years prior to his death, and we were engaged for seven years. We travelled together traversing Sierra Leone where he worked, went to London, South Africa and back here,” she said.
“The pain that I still feel today due to his suicide is excruciating; my heart is still bleeding. I lost a friend, partner and soul-mate. Reliving the experience and re-narrating the suicide scene is heart wrenching.”
Asked about whether she forged Wood’s will, Ms Dube denied the allegations. “To benefit from that will, I have to execute it in the United Kingdom. I have no intention and I have never had an intention to go and claim any property there, because I know that Wood has children who should take his properties.
“All that I have here is a BMW X5 and 36 percent mine shares. All that property was in my name before my husband passed on, so that will does not benefit or enrich me in any way.”
Meanwhile, Mr Wood has reiterated his offer of $25 000 as a reward for anyone who will bring information that will lead to criminal prosecution of those who killed his brother. Ms Dube’s family dismissed the reward money as a public stunt, and a fraudulent move by Mr Wood which is a result of greed. Mrs Tholiwe Clarke, Ms Dube’s mother, said the whole family felt offended by Mr Wood’s unfounded insistence that his brother was murdered.
“My family had known Wood for about 10 years, and we were also his family. He was a loving and caring man; I have fond memories of him. He used to come and dine with us in my home in Magwegwe,” Mrs Clarke said.
“Any suggestions that we would connive to kill such a man are ludicrous and offending. Why is Ian concerned about his brother after he has passed on? We used to treat his brother with utmost care, and nursed him when his heart problem developed. Is Ian concerned about his brother now because he wants to claim millions from a life insurance company?”
Mrs Clarke took a swipe at Western media for calling her daughter Wood’s mistress, saying the title was offending and showed contempt of African culture.
“The media has portrayed Susan (Wood’s ex-wife) as the victim and us the victimiser. Wood was not like a son to me, but a son. In 2006, Wood paid lobola for Gugu. He paid $5 000 and there is a balance of $10 000 left,” she said.
Mrs Clarke said after lobola, all Ndebele cultural rites were done which welcomed the new son into the family.
“After paying lobola, umkhwenyana wacolwa as per our culture. So why is Gugu being referred to as a mistress? My neighbours are asking me whether my child is a cheater,” she said.
A post-mortem examination gave the cause of death as asphyxia due to hanging and a pathologist recorded it as a suicide. Wood’s body was flown back to the UK for another post-mortem examination, which also gave the cause of death as asphyxia due to hanging.
Asphyxia is a condition in which the body and, most importantly, the brain receives inadequate, or no oxygen supply. The death inquest continues tomorrow, with doctors who conducted a post-mortem of the body expected to give their own evidence.
Online Reporter