Durban - Murder accused businessman Rajiv Soni, if called to testify in his defence, will vehemently deny he had ever offered former Envirowatch security guard, Professor Mlungisi Sithebe, R100 000 to kill or injure slain doctor, Bhavish Sewram.
Soni’s advocate, Naren Sangham, put this to Sithebe during cross-examination at the Pietermaritzburg High Court on Tuesday, saying while Soni would admit he had a “problem” with Sewram at some stage, this issue had been cleared up between the two former friends in 2012.
Sithebe, however, stood his ground and refused to budge from his version of events, and accused Sangham of trying to confuse him.
Soni stands accused of murdering 33-year-old Sewram, whom he suspected of having an affair with his wife, Kerusha.
During his testimony, Sithebe revealed how Soni had enlisted his help to shoot Sewram in exchange for R100 000, and pointed out the doctor’s times and movements around his medical rooms in Boschoff and Chota Motala Roads, a mere three months before Sewram was eventually gunned down.
Sithebe told the court he had not accepted Soni’s offer, but instead went to Sewram, and revealed Soni’s murder plot.
Sewram was killed outside his Chota Motala Road surgery on the night of May 13, 2013.
The state alleges Soni hired former policeman Brian Treasurer to kill Sewram, who in turn secured the services of his business partner, Mfaniseni Nxumalo, and another accused, Sabelo Dlamini, to shoot the doctor.
Dlamini pleaded guilty to being the triggerman who shot Sewram. He implicated Treasurer as the man who drove him and Nxumalo to Sewram’s surgery on the night of the shooting, and provided him with the firearm to commit the murder.
Dlamini is serving 25 years for his part in the murder.
Treasurer and Nxumalo were last month both found guilty for their roles in the killing and each sentenced to life in prison.
Daily News