Two brothers facing fraud and money laundering charges allegedly took out life insurance arm the menstrual for their own financial gain.

Sisters Wanda Mbele and Sindiswa Cynthia Mbele were arrested following the murder of Noem My Skollie actor David “Gums” Manuel and his best friend Alfonso Fisher in Gugulethu on October 8.

Police had initially arrested them for double murder, but later charged them only with fraud and money laundering.

The state alleged that the brother and sister demanded R110 000 after the actor’s funeral.

The pair appeared in Athlone Magistrates’ Court on Thursday to apply for bail.

Supporters filled the public gallery as their lawyer, Thina Vuso, read four statements, including that of David’s younger brother, Patrick Manuel.

Patrick told the court he was in police custody for possession of a tick when he overheard officers talking about David’s murder.

She testified that the defendants were like family because she and David were raised by their mother.

The defendant’s statements were similar because they claimed they were already in bed when gunshots were heard on the fatal night.

Sindiswa said: “I went to my mother’s room and a few minutes after the shooting we went out to check what was going on.

“We saw people standing in front of the deceased’s house. He was raised by my late mother. “They were both taken to the starting school after my mother passed away.”

The brothers denied committing fraud.

Vuso argued: “What comes back to haunt them is because of the goodness of their hearts.

“For reasons unknown to the defense and the State, however, they still want to continue persecuting my clients instead of prosecuting them.

“The claim was paid and the policy was taken out by the Mbele family.

“At what point did the bank say that the Mbele family was not related to the Manuel family, who was that person and why did they make the call? “This is the question the state should ask and they will find the answer.”

The state attorney said they opposed bail.

The court heard: “There are individuals whose lives are insured, and there are those, including family members and community members, who have expressed shock and displeasure at the applicants’ behavior.

“The main charge is for the murder of two people who were murdered in cold blood. We think the murder was a contract murder.

“The charges against them are fraud and money laundering, whereby they took out funeral policies in the names of others to make money.

“From what we have learned, the modus operandi of both suspects is that both applicants obtain funeral policies on behalf of the poor, drug users and people involved in criminal activities.

“Both applicants failed to obtain a funeral policy for their maternal uncle, but chose to insure the lives of persons unrelated to them for financial gain.

“After Capitec bank paid the compensation to Applicant 1, he went to buy sofas worth R15,000 in Bradlows on 19 October.”