Durban - A relative of slain oThongathi couple Maliga and Balaram Reddy on Thursday said he felt relief after four men were found guilty of the brutal double murder.
Maliga Reddy’s brother, Parmanandan Naidoo, told the Daily News outside court he was now hoping for at least a 25-year prison sentence for the convictions.
Durban High Court Judge Eric Nzimande found Sibusiso Mthimkhulu, 28, of Frasers, just outside oThongathi; Senzo Sello Ndluli, 20, of Burbreeze, oThongathi; Lucky Ernest Njoko, 31, of Burbreeze; and Vusi Ngxumeshe, 37, of Frasers, guilty of murder, attempted murder, housebreaking with intent to rob, and robbery with aggravating circumstances.
Both the State and defence are expected to meet next month to arrange a date for sentencing.
Balaram Reddy, 59, died of a blunt-force head injury and gunshot wound to the abdomen, and his wife, Maliga, 53, died of a gunshot to the head when they were robbed and attacked in their Burbreeze home.
Their son, Nivashen, was stabbed and assaulted.
The couple’s heavily pregnant daughter, Prishini Rammanan, and her husband, Rishal, were also in the house at the time of the attack.
Naidoo said Prishini had gone missing on the anniversary of her parents’ death in 2013.
Her body was found on railway tracks in January 2014.
Rishal had testified that he and Prishini were sleeping in the bedroom next door to Nivashen’s room and had heard a noise at about 2.30am.
He had jumped out of bed when he heard gunshots and two of the intruders had kicked open their door and held them at gunpoint demanding money, their cellphones and to know about the safe.
He testified that he switched on the bedroom light so the men could see his wife was pregnant and take pity on them.
Nivashen had testified that his dad arrived home at 1am and that about an hour later he was awakened by a squeak at his door when three armed men came into his room.
He heard a gunshot and was pulled to the floor, assaulted and stabbed while the attackers demanded cash.
He had fled to his neighbour’s house, unaware that his parents had been killed.
On Thursday, Judge Nzimande found both Rishal and Nivashen to be reliable and satisfactory witnesses.
He said Mthimkhulu, Ndluli and Njoko had not called independent witnesses to verify their alibis.
Mthimkhulu’s friend had testified, Ndluli had called his mother, and Njoko’s father had testified.
The judge said both sets of parents conceded they had fallen asleep that night and only saw their children the following morning when they were preparing to go to work.
He also said there was overwhelming evidence against Mthimkhulu.
He said Rishal had placed Ngxumeshe at the crime scene and this was corroborated by Ngxumeshe’s confession to the police.
All the men had made confessions, but had pleaded not guilty. The confessions were allowed to be submitted as evidence.
The judge found these confessions to be admissions of guilt, as all four men had placed themselves at the crime scene and associated themselves to what happened.
Daily News