Durban - A case where a senior Durban neurosurgeon is accused of conspiring to kill his brother-in-law is awaiting a decision from the senior public prosecutor.
Dr Anand Rapiti, 43, an employee at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital, appeared in the Durban Magistrate’s Court for allegedly hiring a hitman to kill his brother-in-law, Dr Melvin Naidu.
The case was adjourned to next month for the prosecutor’s decision.
Rapiti, who lives in uMhlanga with his mother, was arrested by members of the Hawks in December and spent Christmas in prison.
He is currently on R5 000 bail.
During his bail application, the court was told that he tried to coax his patient, Desmond Maneveldt, into killing Naidu, an orthopaedic surgeon who has practices in Durban and Ladysmith.
Naidu is married to Rapiti’s sister, Nadine, a pathologist. It is alleged a family dispute drove Rapiti to order the hit.
Maneveldt apparently pretended to play along with Rapiti’s request and tipped-off Hawks investigators.
Hawks investigating officer Warrant Officer Benedict Chonco said in his statement that Rapiti revealed the plot to Maneveldt in October, and made a R10 000 down payment, which Chonco collected and stored as evidence.
Three undercover operations were later conducted, with audio and video recordings gathered from the meetings between Rapiti and Maneveldt, who received a further R25 000 payment.
When he was arrested, Rapiti was apparently under the impression that the murder was still going ahead, the arrest was just a delay, and Maneveldt was introducing him to the hitman.