A policeman took out funeral policies for an unrelated man, paid the premiums, and killed the man to claim funeral expenses, the Pietermaritzburg High Court heard on Wednesday.

It is alleged that Inspector Thamsanqa Khambule (42), of Pietermaritzburg murdered of Thabani Duma, and then submitted five fraudulent claims from insurance companies.

Khambule has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

A witness, whose name was withheld, said on Wednesday that Khambule took Duma, another man and the witness, to the Howick area late at night in January 2007.

They stopped the car, Khambule alighted and told Duma to join him at the back of the vehicle. The witness heard six shots and Khambule returned to the car alone.

Khambule told the witness to tell Duma's sister that Duma had "passed away".

The next day they went to the Howick police station where Khambule established that Duma's body had been found and that investigators were trying to retrieve a bullet from his body.

Khambule, the witness and a relative went to another police station to establish the case number.

Asked by defence Advocate Louis Barnard if he asked Khambule about the shooting, the witness replied he did not because he was in a state of shock and was afraid.

Barnard asked if it was not possible that Khambule and Duma had been attacked and shot by someone else. The witness said he was sure that Khambule had shot Duma.

The trial continues.

Sapa