Durban - More than two years after Musgrave widow Shakila Singh was found dead on her bedroom floor with duct tape around her face, her hands and legs bound by plastic cable ties, her alleged killers are about to learn their fate.
Judgement is expected to be handed down by the Durban High Court later this month in the trial of Singh’s long-time domestic worker, Nonjabulo Mteki, 35, of uMlazi and two alleged hit men, Kennedy Amon Ngongi, 30, and Ally Jumah Abdullah, 41, both from Tanzania.
A fourth person, alleged to be the mastermind of the murder, Nigerian Kenny Osita Oriki, remains at large.
The trio pleaded not guilty to charges of robbery with aggravating circumstances and murder.
During final arguments on Tuesday, prosecutor Vasi Chetty told the court that Mteki had mentioned in a statement that she had knowledge about the robbery and killing of Singh in February 2016 and that she had known Oriki.
“She met him and two black males and they had planned to rob the deceased’s house.
“She was to phone Kenny upon the deceased’s son, Yashmeir, leaving the premises and would leave the house slam-lock gate open so that the men can enter. The confession made to magistrate (Motala) shows that the incident was well planned,” Chetty said.
“From cellphone evidence of MTN expert Dharmesh Kanthi, it can be deemed the accused (Mteki) was in constant contact with Kenny, the alleged mastermind. Over 146 sets of communication were recorded between them.
“On the day of the incident, the accused was in constant contact with Kenny from the morning, surprisingly even though Kenny was right in Musgrave,” he said.
Chetty also told the court that Mteki had met with Oriki later that night, and he gave her R3000 and told her to keep quiet about the matter.
Chetty said that during the pointing out of the crime scene, Ngongi had directed the police officers to the home and that he had known the local roads very well.
He had also indicated the place were he and his friend Abdullah were dropped by Oriki.
Chetty added that Abdullah had said he had met with a Nigerian, a Tanzanian and a woman named Busi, the girlfriend of the Nigerian, and that she had given a gate remote control to the Nigerian to test if it was working. They all then left for Singh’s house.
“The cellphones of both accused (Ngongi and Abdullah) show them also being in the Musgrave area at the same time on the morning of the incident, and immediately after the robbery and murder.
"Both accused and Kenny’s cellphone indicate they went off in different directions from Musgrave,” Chetty said. “I submit that this is not a coincidence.”
Abdullah’s counsel has argued that his client was in Empangeni at the time, visiting a friend. He said Abdullah’s girlfriend, who lived in Berea, had his phone at the time.
Ngongi’s lawyer, Maggie Pillay, disputed the cellphone evidence, saying the MTN number was not his.
Mteki’s lawyer, Emmanuel Chiliza, said his client had been “coached” into making a confession.
Singh was a retired teacher with two sons.
Outside court, her elder sister, Jayshree Maharaj, told POST that the family were hoping for justice.
“I just hope that my sister, who was innocently lying on her own bed, minding her own business, will get some justice for the horrific way she had to leave us,” she said.
“It has been a traumatic incident for the whole family. It is something that is unbearable and we hope justice is served accordingly with a hefty jail sentence, which will serve as a deterrent so that others don’t fall victim as my sister did.”