In North West province, South Africa, 62-year-old Daniel Mokwai has been arrested for allegedly murdering three family members, including his own son, with pies laced with poison.

The deaths occurred over a three-year period, with the victims initially thought to have died of natural causes. The police uncovered a link to insurance fraud after Mokwai filed claims for all three deceased.

Pathology reports from exhumed bodies revealed poisoning, leading to a murder investigation. The first victim, a 16-year-old relative of Mokwai’s wife, died on December 5, 2020, shortly after eating a pie given by Mokwai.

Another 16-year-old relative of his wife also fell victim on December 1, 2021, in Boitumelong township. The third victim was Mokwai’s son, Mothibi Alpheos Mokwai, 31, who died on October 9, 2022.

Mokwai has appeared in Bloemhof Magistrate’s Court, facing three counts of murder, and remains in custody pending legal representation.

The case came to light when suspicious family members reported a pattern of illness and death following the consumption of the pies.