Durban - A person known as “the boss” ordered a hit on young Merebank mother, Charmaine Naidoo, initially thought by police to have been killed in a robbery at her home.
Details of a possible murder plot emerged on Wednesday in the Durban Regional Court during the guilty plea of Sifiso Joyisa, one of the men accused of killing Naidoo, 32.
Joyisa, 42, who is ill and in a wheelchair, implicated co-accused Mandlenkosi Jobe, a nightclub bouncer, and Bongani Manyathi, a homeless man, in his plea.
Joyisa said he was left paralysed when he was assaulted by his relatives and other residents after the murder.
He said Jobe had hired him, a week before the murder, to kill Naidoo, while Manyathi, who was Jobe’s friend, helped him carry out the crime.
Joyisa, who was sentenced by magistrate Fariedha Mohamed to serve 40 years in jail, said he would assist investigating officer Warrant Officer Rajen Nagesar, of the provincial task team, with information so further arrests could be made.
Naidoo, who ran a business with her husband, Alvin Maistry, was killed after being kidnapped in an apparent “house robbery” in February. She was accosted in front of her children and taken by the “robbers”.
Joyisa said the robbery had been staged and that he and Manyathi had gone to the house to kidnap Naidoo so they could kill her.
He had met “the boss”, who had wanted Naidoo dead, a few days before the murder.
He and Manyathi were armed when they were dropped off at Naidoo’s home by Jobe. They went into the home and asked Naidoo for money, but she told them there was none in the house.
They then took a television off the wall and shoved Naidoo and the TV into Naidoo’s car. They drove to the KwaMakhutha area, where Joyisa shot Naidoo in the shoulder.
“She did not die, so Bongani took out a knife and started stabbing her in the neck. He then strangled her with the laces from her takkies until she was dead.”
They dumped Naidoo’s body in KwaMakhutha, then drove to the Galleria shopping centre and phoned Jobe, who arranged for a taxi to meet them there. The taxi followed them to Isipingo, where they dumped Naidoo’s car.
“We then went to Mandla’s (Jobe) flat and dropped off the TV and we later slept at the flat.”
The next day, Jobe gave Joyisa R4 000. Manyathi was also given money. “I was promised R12 000, but I only got R6 000 in total.”
Sentencing Joyisa, magistrate Mohammed said he had been “motivated by greed”.
“There is no justification for your behaviour.”
Earlier, prosecutor Yuban Archary had asked the court not to show mercy to “hired killers” and to sentence Joyisa in terms of the minimum sentencing provisions.
Mohamed said she had deviated from the minimum sentence of life imprisonment because Joyisa had pleaded guilty, was ill and, due to his paralysis, would be unable to commit similar offences.
Naidoo’s father, Rashid Narsiah, who was in court, said he was happy with the outcome.
Jobe and Manyathi are expected to appear in court next week.
The Mercury