Durban - A nightclub bouncer and a homeless man have been arrested for the murder of Merebank mother, Charmaine Naidoo.
Last Monday, Naidoo, 32, was kidnapped from her home by robbers and taken to KwaMakhutha where she was strangled with her thali necklace – a sacred symbol of marriage among Hindus.
The provincial task team picked up the suspects in the Durban CBD last night. One is a 40-year-old bouncer at a well-known nightclub.
Naidoo’s car was recovered in Isipingo a few hours after she had been taken.
A police source said they viewed cctv footage from the scene where the car had been abandoned.
“A private taxi - a Toyota Condor - picked up the two suspects from Isipingo. We managed to track a partial registration and with the help of informers we managed to identify the suspects,” the source said.
Soon after the suspects were picked up, they made their way to the CBD where they allegedly handed a television they had stolen from Naidoo’s home, to the owner of the taxi.
It is believed the television was payment for the hiring of the taxi.
The taxi owner was not arrested.
The suspects were expected to appear in the Durban Magistrate’s Court today on charges of robbery, kidnapping and murder.
The homeless man, 28, is expected to make a statement.
He claimed he had been hired by the bouncer to rob Naidoo’s home, the source said.
Naidoo’s car, cellphone, a television set and an undisclosed amount of cash were taken.
The source said more arrests were imminent.
The provincial task team, comprising Warrant Officers Rajen Nagesar, Praved Maharaj, Bob Pillay, Otto Du Plessis, Rajesh Maharaj and Denver Parbhoo, made the arrests.
Naidoo was kidnapped soon after returning from her store in Wentworth, at about 9pm.
Her family were held up by armed men who ransacked the house and drove off with her in her grey Tata car.
Naidoo was taken to KwaMakhutha where she was killed before her car was abandoned.
Naidoo’s partner, Alvin Maistry, said Naidoo was laid to rest last week.
“The cops are coming to see us on Tuesday. May you please give us time to mourn peacefully as a family,” he said on Sunday.